


Deal With the Devil

by MistressPhantomhive



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: AU, High School AU, M/M, MistressPhantomhive, Modern AU, SebaCiel - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-23
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-10 02:21:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 133,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3273197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MistressPhantomhive/pseuds/MistressPhantomhive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone has a different story and everyone has a different past. In Sebastian's and Ciel's case, though their paths have never crossed before, they're more alike than they think.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. His Master, Working

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
I was lonely and I couldn't deny it; I was the last of my family and I lived alone in a townhouse where my aunt raised me until she passed away a little over a year ago. Some people thought I was lucky because I was sixteen, owned one of the largest factories in all of the city, and had a wonderful girlfriend, but they didn't know my past... No one did.  
  
I laid back in my recliner, trying to focus on the book in front of me. It was almost time to head to school, but as usual, I was stuck waiting on Lizzy, my girlfriend. The two of us have been “together” since I was in the sixth grade. At the time, I had recently moved in with my aunt and I was going through a lot of things. Lizzy was in the seventh grade and we hadn't seen each other in years when I happened to have run into her one day. She claimed that it was love at first sight and twelve year old Ciel agreed to be her boyfriend, not knowing what he was getting himself into.  
  
The doorbell rang and almost at an instant, I was on my feet, heading towards the foyer. My girlfriend stood behind the door, a textbook clutched tightly to her chest; a typical look for Lizzy. I let off a sigh, unlocking the door and opening it, attempting to preparing myself for what came next.  
  
“Ciel!” She cried happily as she gave me a big hug, almost causing the two of us to fall in the floor. I let out a yelp of surprise as she pulled away from me, giving me a soft smile. Her dainty fingers moved a lock of my hair behind my right ear, causing me to flinch, and her hand instantly jerked away. The hair fell back into place before I asked her, “Are you ready to go to school; we're going to be late if we don't hurry.”  
  
Her jade eyes watched me for a long moment before squeaking out a small, “Okay,” and turned to walk out the door. I grabbed my bag, throwing it over my shoulder and took one last glance over at the mirror, my eyes locking on my eye patch for a moment. Even though I was able to live a somewhat normal life, there were still secrets that nobody knew.  
  
\---  
  
After first period, I was called to the main office. Most kids my age would be scared out of their wits, but this was a regular occurrence for me. See, when I first started school here, the principal and I made a deal of sorts; given my high status in the city, I could easily find out information and that was something she needed desperately. She told me that if I solved “cases” for her using the information I could gain, she'd give me certain privileges that other students didn't have. Needless to say, I accepted.  
  
My fist lightly knocked on the closed entrance in front of me when I heard a very authoritative, “Come in.” Slowly, I opened the door only to see Principal Victoria standing behind her desk, her back facing me. I saw her clench her hands into fists as she said, “Mr. Phantomhive, I presume that's you standing behind me?” Her tone was angry and I knew that this case was going to be serious.  
  
“Yes, ma'am,” I said and she turned around before staring at me with worried, silvery blue eyes. Her hair was falling from it's tight bun, the strands handing around her face.  
  
“Ciel, I have a new case for you,” she said, staring at me in desperation, “Students have been disappearing as of late; one of them being my granddaughter. I need you to find out where they've went.” She was acting as if I was her only hope and I chewed at me lip.  
  
“I can only do so much. Have you been to the police about this matter?” I said, twisting my inherited ring around my thumb and she stared at me as if I had slapped her. She threw a file down on the table with a loud smack before gesturing for me to look through it.  
  
I picked up the file and began glancing through the five students' information. Each of them was a student at King High School ranging between tenth and twelfth grade. I had seen at least three of them around school, but the one that stood out the most to me was Lydia Victoria; twelfth grade student and head of the school's cheer team.  
  
I glanced back up at Victoria as she stared at me with watery eyes; it looked almost as if she was about to cry any second. “Please, Ciel. I wouldn't ask this of you unless I thought you could figure out where she went. I need you to at least find out what happened to her. I need you...” Tears fell down her pale cheeks as she wasn't able to finish her sentence. My fingers slid through the navy black hair that was in front of my eye patch, quickly pulling my hand away as the knot began to slip.  
  
“I'll try to do the best I can, but I have a few requests,” I said softly and she looked at me, pleading, “Anything; I'll do anything.”  
  
“Find me someone who can assist me by tomorrow. For now, I need more information on each student and where they were last seen.”  
  
\---  
  
It was at the end of second period by the time I had finished sorting out the details of the case with Victoria. She had told me what little she knew about the students and I explained to her what kind of person I needed to help me on this specific case. She had also told me that she would get the information that I needed by the end of the school day.  
  
I stood beside Lizzy's locker, waiting for class to end when I saw a certain blond walking down the hall in a pair of knee-high boots. He was also parading around in a long purple jacket with a black v-neck and a pair of dark green, barely legal, shorts. There was a smirk plastered on his face as he said, “My, my, I've found myself a Phantomhive.”  
  
I rolled my eyes, twisting at my rings, and saying, “What are you doing skipping class again, Alois?”  
  
His face turned bright red and he stuttered, “I-I wasn't ditching; I was just merely seeing Claude... for the entire class period.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest, sticking his tongue out at me, and revealing an orange and gold tongue ring.  
  
“You're as gay as you look, Trancy. Besides that, isn't Claude almost nineteen? What in the hell is he still doing in this place?” I said, picking on the older male. I had known him for most of my life and he just happened to be best friends with Lizzy. I didn't hate him, but at the same time, I thought he was a nuisance.  
  
As I leaned against the royal blue lockers as he opened his mouth to answer me, the bell cutting him off as it signaled the end of second period. Instead, he gave me a small wave goodbye and said, “Until we meet again, Ciel.”  
  
As Lizzy walked down the hallway, she looked overworked; she had pulled her unruly blonde curls back into the ponytail and her glasses perched on the end of her nose. I watched her as she opened her locker, taking off her glasses and placing them into her purse before shutting the metal door. When she finally saw me standing there, she jumped in surprise, her face turning red as she shouted, “How long as you been there?”  
  
I sat up, saying, “About twenty minutes. I had a meeting with Victoria about having Funtom donate a few more dollars to the school.” The lie fell easily off of my lips. She scrunched up her nose before muttering, “As if you haven't donated enough to this school. You've paid for the past two homecoming dances and acted as if it was nothing.” I sighed softly, pulling out a caramel Funtom lollipop, and handed it to her. She gave me a small smile before kissing me on the cheek and I chuckled, taking her by the hand and pulling her in the direction of the lunchroom.  
  
I grabbed myself a dark red apple and paid for Lizzy's salad as her hand was interlaced with mine. The two of us walked towards the outdoor lunch tables and took a seat in our regular spot. She began to tell me about how horrible Biology was today and I happened to stare off into space at one point, thinking about the case when she said something with a mouth stuffed full of salad. “What did you say?” I asked her in confusion as she finished chewing her food before leaning over and whispering to me, “Why is that guy over there staring at us?”  
  
Her eyes gestured towards my left side and I turned around, looking around with my one blue eye only to see another student wearing a black leather jacket and a single fingerless glove on his left hand. I took notice in the small smirk on his lips when he saw that I was looking at him and he ran a hand through his raven black locks before quickly pulling it away, staring at is as if it was being burned.  
  
In that same moment, there was a searing pain in my covered, right eye and I gritted my teeth together as Lizzy stared at me, concern in her jade eyes. She asked me over and over what was wrong, but I didn't hear her voice; the pain was the only thing that was on my mind right now.  
  
I looked back at the man behind us again and I had noticed that he had pulled the glove off, discarding it on the concrete ground. My hand slipped under my eye patch as if it would stop the pain and I clutched the table, feeling Lizzy place her cool hand on top of mine. His reddish-brown eyes met my single blue one when I saw it.  
  
On his previously-gloved hand, there was the same symbol that was burned into my right eye; a tetragrammaton. It was a darker shade of purple than my eye and it almost seemed like it was glowing as the searing pain shot through the both of us whenever we made eye contact.  
  
I pulled my hand away from my eye as the eye patch fluttered down onto the table and I quickly tried to grab it before it fell onto the ground. Lizzy tried to stop me from tying it back on and I froze when I realized that the pain suddenly disappeared as if it had never been there.  
  
When I made sure that the knot was back in place, I looked around once again only to see to see that the man was now gone; the only sign of him ever being there was that single, black fingerless glove laying abandoned on the concrete. My eyes searched frantically, looking for another sign, but I wasn't able to find one. I knew though, in some way, him and I were connected by the marks that the two of us bear.  
  
\---  
  
That evening, I sat on the edge of the townhouse's rooftop balcony, a pile of cream colored folders on my lap as I glanced over the students' information. None of them were connected in any way with the exception of Lydia and the captain of the football team, Bryce. I knew Bryce very well because him and his friend Joker used to torment me during my freshman year. In all though, there was a total of five students missing and I didn't have a single lead to go on.  
  
I shut the folders, adding a paperclip to hold them all together before slipping them into my shoulder bag. My eyes rested on my ring for a moment as the moonlight glinted off of the blue diamond, making it more alluring than usual. My eyes soon trailed over to the ring on my right hand; like the other one, this one had been passed down from generation to generation, bearing my family's crest. The only reason why I had them was because my aunt had found them in... in the charred remains of my family's mansion.  
  
Tears pricked at my eyes and I glanced up at the moon, remembering a conversation I had with my mother when I was a little kid.  
  
_“Mama, where's Father at?” I asked, glancing out the window at the little lights in the sky. I was tired, but I couldn't sleep; I had been worried about my father._  
  
_“Father is on a trip so that you and other little kids can get nice, new toys,” she said softly, running her fingers through my hair before saying, “He's closer than you think though.”_  
  
_I turned around, staring at her with my big blue eyes and said, “He's coming home already?” A large smile was on my face and she laughed softly, “No, not yet, my little blackbird; glance up at the sky though._  
  
_My attention was turned towards the moon before I said, “I don't understand what you see, Mama.”_  
  
_A small smile graced her lips before she cooed, “The moon travels around the earth every day. That moon is the same moon that Father and many other people have seen. Maybe he's even looking at it right now and thinking of us.” I glanced at her with wide, ecstatic eyes and said, “If he's looking at the moon, then he really is close!”_  
  
_“My little blackbird, as long as the moon shines, Father and I will always be with you.”_  
  
I stared up at the moon, suddenly feeling calmer than I did before. My fingers pulled at the knot that was holding my eye patch in place and I felt my right eye glow a bright violet as I stared up at the sky. Somehow, the memory made me think of the current case; even though the missing students seemed far away, they all stood under the same moon.  
  
Soon enough I would find them and I would make sure that whoever did this will pay... If only I had an idea of what I was rushing into.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter Rewrite:** June 18th, 2015


	2. That Butler, Agitated

-Sebastian's Point of View-

  
I was late and stuck in morning traffic on the west side of town. School was on the east side and I only had ten minutes to show up before I was going to be counted as late. My foot held down the brake as I texted Joker, asking him to forge me an excuse as the traffic moved at a snail's pace.  
  
My eyes glanced at the mark on my exposed hand. It had appeared right after my grandfather died without a single explanation. I had to tell my friends that it was a tattoo because it was the only excuse that I was able to make up. It still slightly stung from the unexplainable rendezvous I had with the boy from yesterday. I mean, I could tell that he was in pain also, but his seemed to have been in his right eye.  
  
I couldn't lie, I had been watching him the past few days. I thought that he was cute and I had to admit that I had a small attraction to him. Yesterday was the closest that I had sat near him and that had been the only time that we had made eye contact. There had to be a connection between the two of us, but I had yet to find out what it was. I just had to get him away from his blonde girlfriend for a few moments.  
  
I pulled into the parking lot about forty-five minutes later. Joker's bright purple Sedan sat next to my vintage Mustang and I saw that there were two pieces of white paper in his windshield wipers; one of them was my excuse, the other said, “You owe me.” I just rolled my eyes and made my way towards the main office to check in.  
  
“Mr. Michaelis, nice to see you this lovely morning. I'm starting to think that you should be home-schooled since you're always so late,” the secretary said, giving me a fake smile as I could see the annoyance in her brown eyes. She handed me my check-in pass when Principal Victoria stepped out of her office, staring at me. “Mr. Michaelis, can I have a word with you?”  
  
My mind was buzzing with questions as I walked into the dark office. Had my forged excuses been found out? Was I going to fail because I had missed so many days? Were they finally going to let me graduate early?  
  
Victoria gestured for me to take a seat in front of her desk and I complied, tugging at the sleeves of my old ratty jacket. She took a seat behind her desk, opening the desk drawer, and pulling out two files; one of them happened to have my name written on it in sloppy cursive.  
  
“Sebastian Michaelis, your grandfather was Diablo Michaelis, yes?” She said, opening my file that showed my permanent record from all the years that I had caused mayhem in the school district. There was no way she could have known my grandfather's name because I was the one who had registered myself into the school this year. Besides that, my grandfather had never went by his real name.  
  
“Y-yes,” I stuttered, “Did you happen to know him?”  
  
She went slightly red in the face and said, “Dio was the one who taught me how to play the piano. At the time, I was fifteen and he was eighteen. To this day, I still have no idea how he mastered a complicated, solemn song in such a small amount of time.” She shook her head at the memories, giving me a soft smile.  
  
“He was a gifted musician. Growing up, I saw him play everything from violin to the electric guitar,” I said and I couldn't help, but glance down a the case that was laying beside my bag. His favorite guitar had been passed down to me after his death. I was honored to be able to have it in my possession.  
  
Victoria cleared her throat before shutting my file and placing another one on top of it. I took a quick glance an the label and I saw the name Ciel Phantomhive scrawled on it. “I see you're quite interested on why I have yours and another student's file on my desk,” she said and I gave her a sheepish look before she continued, “I have a small job for you, Sebastian. Out of many students, you've been chosen to help Mr. Phantomhive with a case that I've given him. I do have to warn you though, he's quite a bit younger than you, but he's very intelligent and a little hot-headed. I'm going to have him fill you in on all the details of this case. Right now though, I'm going to go get him so that the two of you can become acquainted with one another.”  
  
“Wait...” I began as she walked out the room before I could even figure out how to word my question. What did she mean by “case”? Was there some sort of secret going on in this school? Was this Phantomhive kid some kind of detective? This wasn't the time for any Scooby-Doo shit.  
  
I was left to sit alone and twiddle my thumbs in Victoria's office. I was almost tempted to rummage through Ciel's file, but I decided against it. Instead, I pulled my guitar out of its case and began tuning it. I enjoyed the soft strums from the instrument and it always kept me calm when I was slightly nervous. This was one of those moments since I had no idea what was to come and what this supposed “case” was.  
  
I jumped when I the door opened and Victoria walked into the room, talking to someone. The stinging sensation returned to my hand and I grabbed it, biting my lip. It wasn't as strong as it was before, but it still hurt like a mother fucker. I turned around in my seat and I saw the blue eyed boy from yesterday. I could see that he was trying to hold back the pain as his hand clenched into a fist and he scowled at me.  
  
“From the look of it, you two seem to have met before,” Victoria said and Ciel looked up at her and said, “I refuse to work with him.”  
  
Victoria's silver-blue eyes stared at him in shock and she said, “There's no one else who is perfect for this case, Ciel. He knew a couple of the students quite well and I'm sure you'll relate to him, Mr. Phantomhive; you two have quite similar pasts.” As she finished, Ciel's face turned red as he ran a hand through his navy black hair before pulling it away as eye patch started slipping off his face.  
  
My hand continued to sting as I looked at Ciel before Victoria said, “I expect you two to get along. Ciel, you were the one who gave me the expectations for someone you needed on this case and Sebastian fits them perfectly. If you don't work with him on this case, then I will have to revoke your special privileges. You are my watchdog in this school and you still have to report to me.” She brushed back a silver hair that had fallen in front of her face. “You two need to discuss the case and I expect it to be done as soon as possible.”  
  
Ciel and I glared at each other and I grabbed my bags off of the floor before heading out of Victoria's office. I heard a set of footsteps behind me, but I ignored them as I began to head to the parking lot.  
  
I was done with this school. Everyone here had officially gone batshit crazy. I unlocked my car, throwing my bags into the trunk. When I turned around, I saw the blue eyed boy staring at me, his arms crossed in front of his chest.  
  
“What are you looking at?” I snapped at him and he continued to stare at me with that blue eye that I found lovely. If I had known that this kid was such an asshole then I would have never fallen for him. It had happened though and there was nothing that was going to change that.  
  
“You heard, Victoria. We need to talk about this case; the sooner the better,” he said, pulling his bag off of his shoulder and holding it out to me as I stared at it for a moment, wondering what he was trying to do. “Wherever you're going, I'm going. It must be quiet and secluded. Now, take my bag.”  
  
Anger flushed through my veins and I clenched my fists before snapping, “What gives you the right to order me around like I'm some sort of servant?” He just simply crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave me a slightly annoyed look with that one eye.  
  
“I gained the right when I saw that symbol on your hand, Sebastian,” he said and I still felt the slight sting, but I knew that the both of us felt the pain as he placed his hand over his eye patch and letting out a sigh. I simply rolled my eyes at him and said, “Fine, but we're going to my house and you have no right to complain about my music taste on the way there.”  
  
\---  
  
When I opened the door to my loft, I saw Ciel wrinkle his nose up to the smell of cigarettes and booze. I put down my bags and picked up a few cans before taking them up the staircase and glancing down at him before saying, “Mi casa es su casa.”  
  
He lightly stepped across the floor as I lit a quick cigarette and grabbed a beer before heading down to the couch that he was standing next to. I gestured for him to sit down, but he shook his head and I rolled my eyes before saying, “What, have you never seen the harsh reality of not being the heir to a rich company?” My hands gesturing towards the beer and pack of cigarettes on my coffee table.  
  
It hadn't taken me long to remember that the name Phantomhive was connected to the largest factory in the city, Funtom. My grandfather had worked there right before he had gotten sick and for my sixteenth birthday, he had given me one of those stupid stuffed bunnies. I had a small love for the Bitter Rabbit though and I had hoped that Ciel wouldn't notice it sitting beside my bed since it was in the section behind us.  
  
Ciel sighed, lightly sitting his bag on the recliner. Pulling out a manilla folder and saying, “It's not that. I've never seen a place this disheveled.” He stood ten feet away from me, acting as if he didn't want to come any closer.  
  
I exhaled the smoke that I was holding in my lungs, putting out my half-smoked cigarette, and pulled off my single, lonely glove before saying, “Are you going to show me what that folder is?” He handed it to me and I stared at the blue ring on his thumb just a moment before I took the folder, reading through its contents.  
  
A good chunk of it was student files, but there were also some hand-written notes in almost perfect script. Reading them, I found out that the students were missing and so far there was no connections between any of them except for Lydia and Bryce. I knew that they had dated for a while, but fell apart when Bryce started flirting with a red-headed nuisance named Grelle. In reality, he didn't know that Grelle was still technically a man. I mean, I would be the one to know. She was my one night stand after Joker dumped me. Looking at the other students though... I knew Grelle had been around them too; quite a bit actually.  
  
“Grelle Sutcliff. H-She has been around each of these students one time or another. She's a senior and, I hate to say it, she's obsessively in love with me,” I said and I saw a small smile on Ciel's face as he said “Does Sebastian have a girl chasing after him? I wonder why he hasn't snatched up such a lucky lady.” Sarcasm coated his tone perfectly.  
  
Of course, he had to be one of the many who knew that I was gay.  
  
“Shut up. I haven't seen you be entirely affectionate with that blonde that's always dragging you around,” I retaliated, scratching at the mark on my hand as it stung once again. He just looked at me annoyed, ignoring my comment.  
  
“Should we question her first? You would easily be able to get her attention and she would listen to everything you'd say,” Ciel said and I stared at him as if he had gone mad.  
  
“There's no way in hell that you're going to get me to talk to that psycho bitch. I'd rather set myself on fire,” I growled and Ciel stared at me. I saw the tears well up in his blue eye as he looked away from me and said, “Alright. I'll pull her in for questioning in the morning. Until then, we should think about other ways that the students could be connected.”  
  
He pulled out a notebook and took a seat on the floor on the other side of the coffee table as I laid back on the couch. I knew today was going to be a very, very long day.  
  
\---  
  
Ciel was fast asleep on the couch. I had expected him to leave after I told him that I was going down to the corner store to get a pack of cigarettes and I didn't know when I was coming back. Here he was though, laying on my couch, his lips sticking out in a slight pout while he was asleep. Despite him being a brat, he was still cute.  
  
I took off my ratty jacket, throwing it over him as a makeshift blanket. I rubbed my hands on the sleeves of my black henley before picking up my beer and taking a seat in the recliner. I glanced over the notes that the two of us had taken today; written in both his cursive and my chicken scratch. There were small doodles on the margins of the pages from me and I chuckled softly at my disproportional raven.  
  
It was comforting having someone else here with me. I spent most of my nights here alone on the days I had to work. On the days off though, I typically went to Joker's drunk and somehow found my way back here sometime in the middle of the night, typically with someone I didn't know.  
  
I listened to some classic rock on my phone and texted Claude on and off for about an hour, when I heard Ciel mumbling in his sleep. At first it was calm and peaceful, but soon grew louder and louder and I feared that he was having a nightmare.  
  
“No... No don't... I don't want... Don't make me!” He shouted, sitting straight up, my jacket laying across his lap. He stared at me, panting as if he had ran a mile. I wanted to comfort him, but I was frozen as my seat as I saw his right eye; a glowing purple tetragrammaton. I felt a slight sting in my hand as I saw the symbol giving off an almost similar glow as his eye.  
  
“C-Ciel,” I stuttered as he stared at my hand before his own made its way up to his eye before he frantically started searching for his eye patch.  
  
I walked over to him, trying to get him to stop, when he screamed at me, “Don't touch me!” As he looked up at me, his bangs fell away from both of his eyes and I saw them both staring at me in fear and anger.  
  
When he had found the black material, he tied it back on, covering his eye once again. He gathered up his things and running out the door saying, “I'm going home.”  
  
I stood there, the glow slowly dying in my hand as it was the moment he tied back on his eye patch. I didn't know how to feel... or what to do. Victoria had said that him and I had very similar pasts and I knew for a fact that Ciel, like me, lived on his own.  
  
W-were we the same? Were we somehow connected by fate?


	3. His Master, Questioning

-Ciel's Point of View-

  
I pulled my body up from the water, gasping for breath. I ran a hand through my hair, pulling it back from my face before grabbing my towel from beside the bathtub, and climbing out of the lukewarm water. This entire day had been a mistake and now I was running the risk of ruining my life forever. I had allowed myself to show my weakness. Sebastian saw my eye and no one had seen it since right before my parents died.  
  
I looked in the mirror that took up a large part of the wall, my towel wrapped tightly around my waist. My first focus was on my eye. It had glowed a brighter purple occasionally when I felt a strong emotion, but it had never stayed like this until Sebastian saw it. Even his hand seemed to have had a dark purple glow to it. The only thing that I really noticed though was the longer we spent together, the less the painful sting was present.  
  
I turned to my side and saw the dark red brand on my back. I could never forget how they held me down and placed a hot iron against my skin, scarring my flesh permanently. The two snakes wrapped around one another and I shook as the memories flooded through my mind.  
  
My hand clenched tightly into a fist. I should have left when Sebastian said that he didn't know when he was coming back. I couldn't bring myself to leave though. Instead, I wandered around the loft just looking at everything that Sebastian had accumulated. There was a section for each aspect of his life. Under the staircase was a bookshelf with mostly photographs of him and a man that I suppose was his grandfather. His smile wasn't as bright now as it was in those pictures. Off to the side was a couple of guitars, a drum set, and a violin. I knew wandering around the loft was probably an invasion of Sebastian's privacy, but I couldn't help it. I was curious on who exactly Sebastian Michaelis was. I had taken a seat back on the couch questioning why I had stayed. The truth was, I didn't want to leave. Leaving had meant that I was going to be alone in my two story house; like I am now.  
  
“Goddammit!” I shouted out, smashing my fist into the mirror and feeling it crack under the sudden pressure. Blood began to run down the glass and I pulled my hand away, not feeling the pain. The thing was, I no longer felt any pain. All I felt was the anger of allowing myself to show my weaknesses. Sebastian now knew that I had nightmares. He knew that I wasn't missing an eye, but I was trying to hide my own tetragrammaton. He knew how to do things to my heart that not even Lizzy did... I had no idea how to explain it. If I was gay, was that the reason why I never felt the same love for the blonde who was my girlfriend?  
  
I placed my forehead against the glass, staying far away from the crack and clutching my bleeding hand. A long sigh escaped my lips as I began to question what exactly I was doing with my pitiful little life.  
  
\---  
  
I gave Lizzy a quick kiss on the cheek, sending her off to first period. I had already talked to Victoria about calling in Grelle for questioning. I would rather have Sebastian help me with questioning her, but when I texted him this morning, he told me that he was going to be pulling extra hours at the record store on the west side of the city. We agreed to meet there later so we could discuss the case further. First though, I had to finish off the school day and take care of some business at the factory.  
  
When I walked into Victoria's office, she sat behind her desk, a person with long, long red hair in the seat in front of her. She glanced up at me and said, “Mr. Phantomhive, he's all yours.”  
  
I heard the red-head snap at her, “She! She! I am a female!”  
  
I always hated the way Victoria treated students who weren't straight. I mean, Sebastian had referred to Grelle as a female for the entire day, yesterday. He told me that he had, had a very short lived fling with her and when I asked if he had been questioning his sexuality at the time, he told me that Grelle was actually transgender. Victoria always declined the fact of having a Gay-Straight Alliance at the school; I had seen the request on her desk multiple times. I'm sure she wouldn't have chosen Sebastian if she had known about his preferences.  
  
“I take that you're Grelle Sutcliff?” I asked, sitting in Victoria's chair, and pulling out a notebook. I could feel her staring at me with her bright green eyes, a smirk on her ruby lips.  
  
“Ah, the lovely Ciel Phantomhive. My dear Bassy has told me so much about you,” she said, playing with one of her earrings that was strangely shaped like a chainsaw.  
  
My face turned a dark crimson, wondering what Sebastian had said about me. I let it slide though as I took a deep breath and said, “Do you know why you're here?”  
  
“I take that this is an interrogation, but I want to say this first before you get on my case about it; I did not have anything to do with the sexual activity that happened in the upstairs bathroom,” she said and I felt disgusted as I said, “I don't even want to know what that is about! What relation do you have with the missing students?”  
  
She gave a slight chuckle and I knew she wasn't taking this the least bit seriously. “I fucked a couple of them, but,” she said, reaching down and pulling out a photo album before handing it to me, “I'm a photographer. I've taken pictures of almost anyone who wants them done. Besides that, I don't know any of them that well.” I flipped through the album and I saw pictures of students at lunch, some from the football games, homecoming, and a handful of pep-rallies.  
  
“Which ones did you really have relations with?” I asked, glancing up at her. A certain, sad look came across her eyes as she mindlessly played with her earring and said, “Bryce and my boyfriend, William Spears.”  
  
I flipped through my notebook with the records of the missing students and there wasn't a William on the list that was given to me. My blue eye found her green ones and I said, “When did he go missing?”  
  
She pulled away her glasses and wiped her now watery eyes, saying, “Around three days ago. He stays after school for chess practice. We were going to go out to dinner and he said he would pick me up, but he never showed. His parents said he never came home and no one knows where he went.”  
  
I couldn't help, but feel a single sliver of sympathy for the red-head as I handed her a tissue and said, “Thank you for your time, Grelle. Your answers were very helpful.”  
  
\---  
  
Lizzy and I stood outside the school. The plants in the courtyard were slowly beginning to bloom and Lizzy was playing with a set of white flowers that were starting to poke their petals out. Lizzy and Alois were working on a project after school and we happened to be waiting on him since he had to walk with us. I didn't like the idea because Alois was annoying as hell, but I didn't have much of a say. Besides that, I had to go to the factory and fill out a few papers, deciding on what products the company was going to produce next.  
  
I tapped my foot on the ground as Lizzy watched me with her big green eyes and said, “Ciel, what are you being so impatient about?” She sounded slightly annoyed and I just sighed.  
  
“I have business to take care of at the factory and after that, I have to go to West Side to discuss something with Sebastian,” I said, and she stared at me, confused.  
  
“Who is Sebastian?”  
  
I had forgotten that I hadn't told Lizzy about him yet. I mean, how was I supposed to explain that the guy who had caused my unexplainable pains the other day was now supposed to be my best buddy? I couldn't just come out and say that I had been solving the cases for the principal the entire time that I ran off “negotiating” with Victoria about “getting funds from Funtom”. She would hate me for lying to her for over a year and a half.  
  
“You remember the guy from the other day? The one from lunch?” I said, walking on thin ice with my words.  
  
“Yes. He was staring at you like you were a piece of meat. What about him?” She asked, looking agitated. I could tell that she hadn't liked him very much.  
  
“Well, I talked to him yesterday about what had happened at lunch and he's not that bad of a guy. We're still trying to figure out what happened. I'm going to the record store over in West Side to talk to him some more,” I said, giving her a sheepish look. She crossed her arms in front of her chest before saying, “Ciel, I'd be careful around that boy. The way he was looking at you yesterday made me think that he was trying to jump-”  
  
“Hello, lovebirds! I'm sorry for the wait. Claude just didn't want me to leave,” Alois yelled coming down the walkway, cutting Lizzy off. I sent a silent prayer up to god, if he happened to exist.  
  
“We'll talk about this later, Ciel Alexander,” Lizzy said, giving me a slight frown. I knew I was in trouble, but she was going to have to find out eventually, right?  
  
\---  
  
I had the driver drop me off a little over three blocks from the record store. I didn't want anyone to know I had money if I happened to have been dropped off right in front of the store. As I climbed out of the car, my driver for the day stopped me, “Do you need me to come back later to get you, Mr. Phantomhive?”  
  
I shook my head and said, “There's no need. I'll have my friend drive me back to my house. Have a good evening, Baldroy.” With that, I clambered out of the car and began walking down the street in a mass of people. To them, I was just a normal teenager. Many in the city knew that I was the head of Funtom, but most wouldn't recognize me by my face though.  
  
I stood outside a shop with darkly tinted windows. The only indication that this was the record store was the name that Sebastian had given me; The Devil's Playlist. I rolled my eyes at the little cartoon devil on the sign before pulling open the door and stepping into the store.  
  
The lights in the shop were dim as I saw the aisles of records, cassettes, and a few CD's. I could already tell this place didn't get much business because the man behind the counter looked at me surprised and said, “May I help you?” He had short, dark brown hair, with dark stubble to match. His arms were covered with tattoos and I slowly approached the counter my hands playing with my rings.  
  
“I'm looking for Sebastian. Is he here?” I asked and he crossed his arms in front of his chest and yelled through the opened doorway, “Sebastian, get your ass in here!”  
  
“What, Saleos? I'm about to go out for a smoke. I told you a minute ago that I was going on break,” the voice began as a slight muffle, but slowly grew louder as Sebastian approached the door.  
  
He leaned against the doorway, an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips. My mind went blank as I stared at him. He stood there wearing a sleeveless shirt with open sides, revealing his pale skin, almost going all the way down to his hips. A pair of ripped black jeans clutched onto his legs and when he approached me, I caught a glimpse of the black feather that was tattooed to his left side, right under his ribcage.  
  
“Ciel, what are you staring at?” Sebastian's voice snapped me out of my dazed state and I hoisted my shoulder bag higher up my arm. I shook my head and said, “We need to talk; in private.”  
  
Why was I staring at him like he was something of pure beauty? Why did I have this sudden attraction to him. I mean, yes, I suddenly could figure out why girls found him attractive, but I'm a male! This is wrong! This... This wasn't normal!  
  
Sebastian grabbed me by the arm, dragging me through the back of the store and out the backdoor. The two of us were in a darkened alleyway and as I glanced around, Sebastian lit the end of his cigarette taking a drag out of it. I dropped my bag on the other side of the alley, taking a seat on it, and staring up at him. As the smoke escaped his lips, he said, “What is it you wanted, Ciel?” His voice was calm, but his eyebrows were still knit in agitation.  
  
I flicked at one of the rocks on the ground as Sebastian leaned against the other side of the bricked wall, one of his feet placed flatly against it. “We need to continue with our work on the case. I spoke with Grelle this-”  
  
“We'll do that after I get off of work. I cleaned up a little bit when I found out that you were coming over again,” he said, cutting me off mid-sentence and taking another drag. The glowing ember was the only thing that I really focused on because something in the back of my mind kept saying that Sebastian was not acting normal. Yesterday, he seemed a little more carefree after hanging around me for a while, but now he had changed completely. “Sebastian?”  
  
“Is that all, Ciel? I need to get back to work.” He stubbed the cigarette out on the wall and looked down at me. His brown eyes had taken on a reddish tint as we stood in the shadows.  
  
I didn't realize that I was holding my breath until I said, “We need to talk... about last night.”  
  
“Nothing happened last night,” he said, turning to leave.  
  
“You can't act as if that was nothing. No one has ever seen that part of me! We need to talk about it...” I shouted before my voice dropped to a whisper as his shoulders tensed up. Sebastian flinched as soon as my words died in my throat and without turning around, he said, “Ciel, I think you should go somewhere else for a little while. I get off of work around eight. I'll text you if you're not back by then.”  
  
With that, he walked away, leaving me in the darkness of the alleyway.  
  
\---  
  
I sat on the sidewalk outside the record store. A Taco Bell bag sat beside my leg, the burrito in my hands. It was almost a quarter until eight by my phone and The Devil's Playlist stopped accepting what little customers they had about fifteen minutes ago.  
  
The street lamps gave off their soft glow as I crumbled up my paper and just happened to glance across the street only to see some imbecile trying to climb up the side of a apartment complex. I knew he had to be high off of something since this was the west side of the city... not that this side of the city is bad; it's just a little more popular with drugs.  
  
As I went to throw my paper away, I saw a flash of white in the corner of my eye and when I glanced over, I finally saw the back of the man's hoodie. In a deep red, there was two snakes intertwined with one another. I was frozen when I felt the man's eyes on me and I heard him call, “Is that Mommy's little blackbird?”  
  
Before I even realized it, I held my bag tightly in my hands, running towards the door of The Devil's Playlist. I beat on the door with my fists, ignoring the pain as I broke the scabs through the bandages of my injured hand. My heart was racing through my chest and fear pumped fully through my veins.  
  
“Seb-Sebastian!”


	4. That Butler, Caring

-Sebastian's Point of View-

  
“Seb... Sebastian!” The noise rang through the entire store as I heard Ciel hitting the thick glass of the locked door. Saleos had already left and I ran towards the door, unlocking it without thinking about anything being out there with him. I just had to save him.  
  
Ciel burst through the door, face red, his blue eye fear-stricken. He ran almost three feet past me before tripping and hitting the floor. His body shook as I heard him whimper and mumble to himself. The eye patch had slipped away, abandoned, laying next to my feet.  
  
I dropped down to the floor, my hand reaching out and touching his side gently. He whispered out a small, “Don't touch me,” but he pulled himself off the ground, wrapping his arms around me tightly, and crying into my chest as if I had became his savior.  
  
My arms wrapped around his small frame as his tears soaked my shirt and I whispered softly, “It's going to be fine, Ciel. Everything is going to be fine.” I didn't know what else to say to the younger male. I only could comfort him to a certain extent.  
  
He sniffled before looking up at me with his two-colored eyes, wiping the tears away with the sleeve of his pullover. His eyes met mine once again, his purple one giving off a soft glow. He winced as he lifted up his left hand and I could see crimson slowly leaking through the white gauze. I took the hand gently and said, “Come with me to the back. We'll have to take care of this before we go to my place.”  
  
Ciel followed behind me with light steps as I pulled down the first aid kit from one of the shelves. It wasn't used much, but this was the perfect thing for this moment in time. I placed it down on a worktable and he held out his hand, looking nervously at me. I held his hand gingerly, taking off the medical tape that was holding the wrap together. The gauze unraveled in my hand easily and at the end of it, I found a gash in the side of his hand as if he had been beating on something sharp.  
  
“What did you do to yourself?” I asked and he stared up at me, his face going red as he said, “I had an accident last night with a vase.” His eyes didn't exactly meet mine and a part of me knew that his story was false. I ignored it though, disinfecting his injury as his face scrunched up in pain.  
  
He tried to jerk his hand away, but I held his wrist tightly, saying, “Just give me a few more moments, Ciel. I'm almost done. All I have to do is wrap it in fresh gauze and then we can leave.” He nodded his head and I couldn't figure out what had put him so out of character. Just earlier he was the regular, “I don't give a fuck” Ciel. Now he was some fearful version of the boy that I knew before.  
  
I finished wrapping up his hand and he stared at it for a moment before saying, “Are we leaving, Sebastian?” His eye glowed as his gaze met mine and I said, “After you grab your things. My car is parked a couple of stores down.” He nodded his head as I grabbed my keys and jacket.  
  
Ciel had already tied back on his eye patch and had his bandaged hand hidden somewhere in the sleeve of his pullover. I turned off the main lights, only leaving the two flickering emergency ones. As Ciel and I walked out the door, I said, “Since it's so late, how about I make you dinner?”  
  
Ciel glanced over at me, his eye glancing over across the road every few seconds before he said, “Given the fact that I had a Taco Bell burrito, it depends. What are you making?” I chuckled softly and said, “I was thinking about shrimp scampi.”  
  
He gave a small smirk before saying, “If you're a good cook, I'm might have to get you to make me dinner more often.”  
  
\---  
  
I stood in the upper part of the loft, a cigarette in one hand and another putting pasta on mine and Ciel's plates. Most would say that doing both at once was unlikely to happen, but I had mastered the skill long ago. I took a drag out of the cigarette, listening to Ciel clicking his pen over and over. He had been writing reports for the case and Grelle's questioning for over an hour and I could tell that he was tiring of it.  
  
“I have books, you know,” I said loudly and I could imagine him rolling his eyes and mocking me. I chuckled at the thought and noticed that the pen clicking had stopped.  
  
As I was setting the table, I heard the sound of an instrument playing in the lower part of the loft. I sat the plates down gently on the table and glanced down at the main floor only to find Ciel playing my violin. He paid no attention to me or anything else going on around him; entrapped by the music that he was playing. When he finished, I couldn't hold myself back from clapping.  
  
Ciel looked up at me, his blue eye wide as if he were a deer in the headlights. He put the violin back in its case as I said, “There's not that many people who want to play the violin anymore.” He went red in the face, looking down. “My mother was the one who taught me.”  
  
There was a silence between the two of us and I cleared my throat and said, “Well dinner is ready if you want to eat. If you don't, then I will.” He glanced back up and nodded his head, heading towards the staircase.  
  
I grabbed a bottle of water and a soda out of the fridge, handing the water to Ciel. He stared at the cold bottle for a moment before taking a seat at the table. For the time being, he seemed to be lost in his head. I watched in concern because the slight sting in my hand had made itself known. I went about my business though, serving the food and taking my own seat.  
  
I was twirling a pile of noodles around a fork when Ciel said, “What was it like for you growing up?”  
  
His question had caught me off guard and as thoughts about my horrid past came to mind. All I could think about was my father saying that he never wanted me, my mother saying nothing, and then the two of them leaving me with my grandfather when I was eight to go who the hell knows where.  
  
I took a sip of my drink and said, “I-I don't remember anything up until my ninth birthday.” It was an easy lie to slip past my lips and Ciel stared at me in slight shock. He had that look though that told me he knew that I wasn't telling the whole truth.  
  
“That's strange,” he whispered, dragging his fork through his noodles for a moment before saying, “C-Can you tell me about your life then? I hate to pry, but I thought I'd learn a little bit about you since we're working together...” This was _way_  out of character for Ciel.  
  
I watched his blue eye carefully for a moment before saying, “My grandfather was the only parent that I knew. He was a great musician who taught me how to play multiple instruments; the ones downstairs just happened to be my favorites. I grew up in a three bedroom house on the East Side of town and I was an excellent student... People thought I was going to graduate top of my class. When I was sixteen my grandfather was diagnosed with lung cancer and they had given him six months to live; an expiration date. He retired while working at Funtom and started giving as many music lessons as possible to preserve his legacy. The doctor... he lied; he passed away in four months. I-I was seventeen when I moved here and got my job. Since then, I have no idea what to do with my life. That's enough about me though. I'm sure you have much more interesting stories from your childhood being the heir to Funtom. My grandfather talked about a man named Vincent a lot; said he was the best boss he ever had. He talked out of his mind after he got sick, but he kept telling me that he met Vincent's son at a company party once. W-Was that you, Ciel?”  
  
Ciel looked away from me before saying, “I-I don't know. It's g-getting late. I should probably go.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and pushed his plate away before glancing up at me with his one blue eye. “Thank you for dinner, Sebastian.”  
  
As he pulled the sleeves of his pullover down over his hands, I felt something well up inside me and without thinking, I said, “Stay the night. Y-You're right; it's getting late and you shouldn't be walking all the way to the East Side alone. Besides that, tomorrow is Saturday. We can get breakfast down the street and jump right into working on the case.” He stared at me for a moment, blue eye wide.  
  
“I-I...” he stuttered before sighing, “I'll stay. I just need something to sleep in, if you don't mind.” His face was crimson.  
  
“That I can do.”  
  
\---  
  
I was just past three in the morning, but I hadn't slept a wink. The cold bit at the flesh of my upper body as I could hear Ciel's faint breathing from the couch. I had given him one of my larger shirts, that happened to be huge on him, to sleep in. So far, he hadn't had a nightmare tonight and I was happy for him...  
  
Well, I was until he sat up, gasping for breath. I was facing towards the window in my room so I had only caught a glimpse of him climbing off the couch, his feet pattering across the wood floor. He paused at the foot of my bed, running his fingers across the black comforter as if he was contemplating something.  
  
Why was his first reaction to come to me? When he had a nightmare the night before, he shoved me away, telling me not to touch him. This was strange, but slightly comforting. It seemed as if he trusted me with that part of his life.  
  
A chill went up my spine as the blankets were pulled back and I felt the mattress shift behind me. My heart raced in my chest as I debated whether or not to turn around and look at him. I decided not to though; a part of me wanted to see what would unfold from his actions. Besides that, I was afraid that I'd scare him.  
  
A soft sigh escaped his lips as he whispered, “What is it about you, Sebastian?” I didn't understand what he meant by it, but at the moment it didn't matter. I could feel the heat radiating off his small, frail body as he shifted close to me by just a hair. His actions were laced with hesitation which made me curious about what was going on in Ciel's mind.  
  
Minutes ticked by and as I began to believe that he had fallen asleep, I heard him inhale sharply. I almost turned around, worried, but he said softly, “You make me want to tell you all my secrets. You already know one of the biggest ones.”  
  
His monologue brought a smirk to my lips. I already had feelings for Ciel; ever since we ran into each other on accident one day at school. Him saying these words made my heart flutter the slightest, but I knew the crippling truths. I knew he had a girlfriend. I knew he had a life. I knew that he wasn't gay. For a week, I watched him during lunch until our stinging connection happened. Ciel, though, had seemed to have taken a liking to me.  
  
I was pulled out of my head when I felt a single finger trace down my shoulder. It was followed by another and another, all following down their own paths. That's when it hit me; I wasn't wearing a shirt and I had scars trailing down my back. His fingers had to have been tracing each individual mark.  
  
I rolled over as his eyes went wide as he tried to get out of the bed. Instead, he tangled himself up in the blankets and I grabbed his arm before he knocked himself off in the floor. He tried to pull away from me, yelling, “I-Seb-Sebastian, I can explain!”  
  
“It's fine, Ciel. I understand; was it another nightmare?” I said, acting as if I had just woken up. I didn't want him to know that I had heard every word that he had said earlier. Ciel nodded his head saying, “I'm sorry that I woke you up. I'll go back to the couch.”  
  
He sat up, about to climb out of the bed when I placed my marked hand on top of his uninjured hand. “No, stay. If you thought it wouldn't help keep it away, you wouldn't have came in here.” He nodded his head before taking a seat and pulling his knees up to his chest. At that moment, he looked more like a child than a sixteen year old boy.  
  
I propped myself up on my elbow, watching him carefully before asking, “Do you want to talk about the nightmare?” His eyes didn't dare meet mine.  
  
Instead of answering my question, he asked, “How did you get those scars on your back?” His eyes watched mine for a moment before I looked away. Much like Ciel, I had secrets that I had no intention in telling. I chewed at my lip and said, “Lay down, Ciel.”  
  
He pulled the blanket over himself and did just as I had said. His violet eye glowed softly as I pulled him close to me, our noses brushing for a brief second. A blush blossomed across his cheeks as I held him tightly to me, my arms wrapped around him. Our faces were so close that I was tempted to kiss him; I didn't want to ruin what relationship we had though.  
  
“Sebastian.” My name fluttered off his lips as his eyes never left mine. My hand was giving off it's purple aura while his eye glowed even brighter than before. I could see the faintest patch of pale freckles next to his nose and his long eyelashes were the one thing that brought out his eyes the most.  
  
I don't know how long we laid there staring at one another, but finally, I said, “Stay here with me, Ciel; just for this one night.” He hesitated before nodding his head the slightest bit, our noses brushing once again.  
  
I sighed, letting him go, and rolling onto my back as he continued to stare up at me. “C-Can I sleep close to you?”  
  
His face was red and I gave him a slight smile before I lifted up my arm so he could slide under it. His body was right against mine, an arm thrown around my torso. My arm held him close to me as it lay across the curve of his spine. The faintest smile ghosted his lips as he fell asleep.  
  
I chuckled softly, my fingers playing with the locks of his navy black hair. His lips were in that adorable pout and I couldn't help, but feel lucky.  
  
This was the side of Ciel that he kept caged. This was him outside of that unhappy exterior. I had doubts that his girlfriend had even seen this side of him. There couldn't have been that many people that have seen his defenses down, all his emotions flowing freely. It was the one thing that I hadn't imagined him doing.  
  
Something had snapped himself out of his shell though. I had never seen someone as terrified as he was when I opened the door to The Devil's Playlist. Ciel was that one puzzle that I was determined to figure out.


	5. His Master, Conflicted

-Ciel's Point of View-

  
Sunlight streamed through the frosted glass windows of Sebastian's loft. I whined as I rubbed my eyes, noticing that I was still wrapped up in Sebastian's warm arms. His breaths were a soft sigh among his lips and I buried my face in his neck for a moment. I wanted to stay here all day, but I knew it was wrong. There was no way the head of Funtom could be have feelings for another man. It would drop sales to almost nothing. Besides that, I didn't know how I felt about Sebastian at this point. Yes, he made my heart beat faster than it should, but it wasn't an attraction, was it?  
  
I slid out of Sebastian's arms, glancing back as I heard him mumble something along the lines of, “Cold.” My feet stepped lightly across the wood floor before I grabbed my abandoned cell phone off the coffee table. It was almost twelve o'clock and I had numerous missed calls and texts; all from Lizzy.  
  
I let off a soft sigh, glancing back at the sleeping Sebastian before pulling his shirt over my head and putting on my abandoned clothes from last night. I stared at the shirt that I had thrown over the back of the couch for a moment before pulling my gaze away to dial Lizzy's number.  
  
“ _Ciel, where have you been? I was going to take you out to breakfast this morning, but you weren't home. We always spend Saturday together; where are you at?_ ” Lizzy yelled and I held the phone away from my ear so she wouldn't deafen me with her unnecessary shouting  
  
“Something came up last night and I had to stay at Sebastian's. I'll be home in a little bit though if you want to still hang out?” My words were posed more as a question instead of a statement. I heard Lizzy let out a huff of breath before asking, “ _How long is a “little while”?_ ” I could almost see her making air quotes as she spoke.  
  
“About thirty minutes. I'm over in West Side and I'll probably take the bus,” I said, glancing back at Sebastian as I heard him roll over, his back now facing the window. I gave a slight smile at the sight and it quickly faltered as Lizzy said, “ _Hurry home, Ciel. I love you._ ”  
  
“I'll see you when I get there.”  
  
There was the soft click of the call ending and I slipped my phone into my pocket as I searched for a piece of paper, only to find a napkin. I sighed, grabbing a pen from Sebastian's desk and scrawling down a note with my explanation for leaving. I laid it down on the pillow where I slept last night, taking one last look at Sebastian before walking out the door.  
  
I had no idea what my feelings for him were, but it all felt too wrong to be right.  
  
\---  
  
I walked two blocks from the bus stop to my house only to find Lizzy sitting on the bricked steps, her hair pulled back in a ponytail and a faint shade of pink on her lips.  
  
She jumped up when she saw me and I pulled my keys out of my bag. I walked into the house, her following close behind me as I said, “I've got a few things I need to take care of, Will you be okay staying in here?”  
  
Lizzy nodded her head and as I stepped up on the first step of the staircase, she said, “Ciel?” I turned around and glanced at her as she chewed at her lip before saying, “Y-You seem different.” I didn't say anything. Instead, I just walked up the stairs, heading down the hall going to my room.  
  
I dropped my bag at the foot of the bed and glanced at my phone. Sebastian hadn't contacted me since I had left the loft; I figured that he was dead tired though from the way he seemed before I left. Wandering over to the closet, I pulled out a navy blue polo and a pair of black jeans. Quickly, I changed out of the clothes from yesterday, pulling on the new ones before heading downstairs into the kitchen.  
  
With a deli sandwich in hand, I walked back into the living room. Lizzy laid across the couch, one of her fingers wrapped around a blonde curl as she tapped away at her phone. She sat up as soon as she saw me approaching and I happened to notice that she was wearing a bright pink, tight-fitting, shirt with a low v-neck. I almost dropped my sandwich at the sight and she smiled and said, “Do you like it? Alois and I went shopping last night and he said that it would suit me perfectly.”  
  
I was silent, walking over to the couch and sitting on the edge of a burgundy cushion. I could feel Lizzy's green eyes on me as I was mentally cursing Alois. A smile graced Lizzy's lips as she said, “What's the matter, Ciel; cat got your tongue?”  
  
She leaned over, taking my sandwich from my hands before wrapping it back up in its plastic and placing it on the coffee table. She continued to lean near me before whispering, “You've been so busy the past few days with Sebastian and Funtom that I haven't seen much of you after school. Can we at least spend this afternoon together?” She kissed my shoulder, then my neck, my cheek, and then she turned my head, kissing my lips.  
  
In my personal opinion, kissing was slightly overrated. There were no sparks, no bells, and it was nothing like it seemed in the movies. If you had no idea what you were doing, it's incredibly awkward. It took practice and time to perfect. To me, it was just something strange.  
  
I didn't have anything against it though. In reality, it was the most intimate thing I've ever had with anyone. I mean, yes, the only person that I've ever dated was Lizzy, but that didn't change anything. With this one romantic experience, I had learned a lot about myself. Lizzy had drug me out of my hollow shell some days, but others, I was horrible to her. I've always questioned why she's stuck around.  
  
She straddled my lap while we kissed; her fingers wrapped up in my navy locks, careful of the strings of my eye patch. She had learned from past mistakes and I knew that she was trying her best not to make another, newer one. My arms were wrapped around her waist, holding her close to me. I could taste caramel on her lips and feel her soft, silky skin where her shirt had slid up her back.  
  
I pulled away from her for a moment, the two of us trying to catch our breath before I kissed her jaw softly. Her fingers played with a lock of my hair and I kissed her neck. A breathy sigh left her lips and I smiled and left more little pecks before sucking on the sensitive skin. She squeaked softly as I nipped it and I could hear her heart beat rapidly in her chest. I loved she way she squirmed in my lap, trying to hold back her moans.  
  
“Ciel,” she sighed, my hands sliding slowly up her back. I glanced up at her and before I even knew it, her lips were back on mine, craving more bittersweet kisses.  
  
Our kiss deepened as my hand slid under the strap where her bra was clasped, teasing her by gently pulling at it. The two of us had played around before, but it had never gotten to this point.  
  
For a moment, Sebastian flashed in my mind. He was the one kissing me. He was the one playing with the knotted ribbons of my patch. “I love you,” he whispered in between an almost breathless kiss and I moaned loudly.  
  
My face flushed crimson and I pulled away at an instant. I looked away from Lizzy, staring over at the sunlight glinting through the window. This wasn't, no, couldn't be Sebastian. This was Lizzy... This was my girlfriend. I-I didn't want to string her along. Of all people, I never wanted to hurt her.  
  
“Ciel?” She whispered softly, concern lacing her voice.  
  
“I-I think you should go home.”  
  
I felt her weight leave my lap and when I looked up, she had already fixed her shirt, face red, tears in her green eyes. She jerked her purse up from the coffee table and slipped on her shoes. Her back was to me, but her snarl was enough to let me know that she was furious. “Call me whenever you get your head out of your  **godforsaken**  ass!”  
  
With that, she left me, questions flurrying through my mind long after the echos of the door slamming disappeared.  
  
\---  
  
I ran through the halls as fast as my ten year old legs would carry me. Thunder rumbled in the distance and it sent me to the comfort of my parents' bedroom. My feet moved faster as I saw the light at the end of the hallway and as I stood in the doorway, I knew something wasn't right. Neither of them laid in bed, but I could still hear my mother's lullaby floating through the air softly. As I walked around the bed, I saw my parents laying on the floor; the white carpet stained red. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I tried to choke out their names and the singing grew louder until it was right at my ear.  
  
“...because my little blackbird flew away.” A hand clapped over my mouth as I screamed before I was knocked unconscious by my attacker.  
  
The images and feelings shuffled through my mind like playing cards. Hands holding me down while a brand seared into my back. The taunts and whispers of my masked captors. The feeling of being dirty and trapped in cold metal bars.  
  
“Anyone would pay to ruin that innocent, little thing,” someone said as the cage was drug across the ground. I had been put in loose chains as I slept and the cage had been covered by a large blanket.  
  
“I still can't believe that they paid fifty grand for this little shit! Do they really think they'll make that much off of him?”  
  
“The fuck if I know. A prostitute is a prostitute no matter how you look at it. Besides, I don't think anyone is searching for this kid. It was announced two weeks ago about the deaths of the Phantomhive family. I assume the kid was included in the casualties.”  
  
There was silence before the blanket was pulled away and I was thrown into the back of a vehicle in between two men. One of them blew his cigarette smoke in my face and my mind was running through possibilities to get away from these men.  
  
“I feel sick,” I said, swaying back and forth, fake dry-heaving. The two men were in expensive suits and I knew that the one thing Father hated ruining was a nice suit.  
  
“Pull over. Pull over!”  
  
The car came to a halt and I was pulled up by my ragged shirt and thrown onto graveled concrete. One of the men loomed over me as I continued my act slipping out of my chains, undetected by the two men.  
  
I darted from where I was the moment they looked away from me, trying to get away from them. I could hear their shouts as my heart beat so fast against my chest that it hurt. I could feel my feet being cut open by the concrete, but I didn't care. Their shouts grew closer and closer as I ducked down an alleyway, taking advantage of my small body by hiding behind a dumpster. I could hear their footsteps in the alley and I held my breath long after the sound of the steps grew faint.  
  
I don't know how long I sat there, holding my breath, taking the occasional breath of air to calm my burning lungs. My body shook as I heard another set of footsteps in the alley and the rumble of something being thrown into the dumpster. I whined as something fell and hit me on the head, but I quickly clapped my hands over my mouth.  
  
A small voice said, “What was that?” I held my knees close to my chest as an elderly woman looked behind the dumpster only to find me before she said, “Darling, what are you doing behind there?” A slight frown was on her lips and I didn't say anything. My eyes were trained carefully on her as she held out her arm to me.  
  
“Are you hurt? Darling, I want to help you; you look afraid,” she said and I feebly reached out and stuttered to her, “I-I-I'm C-Ciel Phantomhive.” After that, the world went black.  
  
Quickly, light filled my eyes again as I could hear a beeping monitor and faint voices. My eyes stayed shut as I listened to them, my body cold, my breathing almost silenced.  
  
“If he really is the Phantomhive boy, something serious has happened to him. I've never seen that much pain conflicted upon a boy his age. He looks exactly like Vincent and Rachel's son though...”  
  
“We won't know until he wakes up. The woman in the waiting room said that was all he had said to her. What about that eye though? It wasn't like that in the ambulance a few hours ago.”  
  
“I don't understand it. I fear that he's going to go blind. His eye has turned pure white; no pupil to be seen.”  
  
I shifted on the bed, sitting up and opening my eyes. The two doctors turned around, staring at me. There was a mild pain in my right eye as they swarmed around me, asking a flurry of questions.  
  
“Ciel what happened?” The eye throbbed slightly.  
  
“Where have you been?” The eye stung.  
  
“Do you feel any pain?” It felt as if it was being sliced open.  
  
“Ciel, who did this?” I shrieked as I covered my right eye, feeling liquid slide down my cheek. The last thing I felt was my hand being jerked away, my palm covered in crimson.  
  
They told me that I was going to be blind in my right eye. I had a bandage covering my eye, hiding the supposed scarring. Something had changed in me though when my eye had been injured a few days ago. They told me that nothing could be done about it and I could take the bandage off as soon as I got home.  
  
They traced my records and found Madam Red, my aunt who just happened to be working in the hospital's maternity ward. She cried the moment she laid eyes upon me. Here I was, her deceased sister's son covered head to toe in bruises, cuts, and a fully bandaged, possibly blind, eye. She held me tightly to her chest and I felt slightly annoyed.

When she took me home to the two story townhouse on the east side of the city, the first thing she did was show me to my room. I had changed out of the oversized clothes the hospital had given me and put on a navy button up and jeans. I glanced at my bandaged eye in the full body mirror before I grabbed the back of the bandage and began unraveling it. A medical eye patch sat on the bedside table for when I was going to cover the eye. I feared to look at it in the mirror, knowing that it was probably some sort of horrible sight.  
  
A choked scream escaped my lips as I unraveled the bandage and pulled back my bangs and stared into my right eye. Unlike the doctors had said, I wasn't going to have a foggy, white eye. Instead, the iris of my blind eye was dark purple, a violet tetragrammaton in the dead center; the middle of the star was where my pupil was supposed to be.  
  
“Ciel, are you okay?” My aunt said and I quickly covered my eye with my hand she frowned at me softly before walking over towards me. “Darling, you shouldn't have taken-”  
  
As her head reached out to me, I jerked away, yelling, “Don't touch me!” I ran into the mirror and it shook as she chewed at her lip before backing away. I quickly grabbed the eye patch, wrapping it around my eye, careful to not let her see it, and tying it on after a few failed knots.  
  
“C-Ciel...” she reached into her pocket before pulling out two rings; a silver one with a blue diamond and a gold one with the Phantomhive crest. They had been passed down each generation, being a powerful asset to my family. She dropped them into my hand and I stared at them for a moment, noticing the slightly charred gold. “They were the only thing left from the fire. I was the one who found them... Y-Your mother tried to give them to me the week before the fire. I wouldn't take them knowing how important they were to the Phantomhive family. What I found strange though was,” she paused, shaking her head, “i-it was almost as if she h-had knew wh-what was going to h-happen.”  
  
Tears fell down her face as the blue diamond glinted in my hand. I was completely speechless as my aunt glanced up at me with her burgundy eyes as I slipped the rings on my fingers.  
  
“Ciel, darling, I... I don't want to ask this of you, but I'd feel as if it'd help the two of us... W-What happened before that fire?”  
  
I sat up in the darkness of my room, breathing heavily. My body shook as I fumbled around in the darkness, looking for my cell. I had to call Sebastian. I needed to talk to Sebastian.  
  
I dialed his number that I had placed on my speed dial in case of an emergency and listened to the phone ring until he picked it up. Loud music played in the background and a drunk Sebastian came on the line.  
  
“ _Ciel! Where are you at?!_ ” He yelled and I winced as my ears rang from his shouts. I was still shaking from my dream and I had the feeling that he wasn't going to be able to help me out.  
  
“I-I'm at home,” I squeaked out, glancing out the bedroom window, seeing the city lights.  
  
“ _You need to get here as fast as you can, darling. This is a biggest party of the entire **fucking**  century; you want in_?” His words were heavy slurs and I shut my eyes, shaking my head as I whispered, “Sebastian... I can't come. I've got things to do around here. M-Maybe some other time.”  
  
“ _Your loss, Ciel,_ ” he said in a singsong voice before hanging up, leaving me in silence, in the darkness.  
  
I pulled my knees up to my chest, crying for the first time since my parents' death.  
  
\---  
  
It was just past three in the morning as I sat on the couch, classical music playing softly in the background. My shoulder bag sat next to me, my notebook and notes spread out on the coffee table. My fingers traced over some of Sebastian's drawings and I glanced away as I saw I had an email notification.  
  
I opened it up only to find a letter from Victoria.  
  
_Watchdog,_  
_I've been informed that two more students have gone missing; William Spears and Hannah Anafeloz. I have not received an update yet from you or Mr. Michaelis. I do hope the two of you are working diligently on this case. I want a report in to me by Monday afternoon. I expect the best of you, Phantomhive._  
_The Queen_  
  
Victoria and I always had a code in the emails that she sent me. I was referred to as the Watchdog while she was the Queen. It kept prying eyes from finding out about the case. I found it strange that this time she had used both mine and Sebastian's last names.  
  
I read over the email once again as I heard the hum of a car engine dying and I glanced out the window only to see a certain black Mustang Fastback. I could recognize Sebastian's car from just about anywhere. He had a thing for older cars; this one used to be his grandfather's.  
  
A soft knock came at the front door and I sighed, sitting my laptop to the side before going to let Sebastian in. He stumbled into the house, a stupid grin on his face. I stood about four feet away as I stared up at him. I'm amazed he arrived here alive as drunk as he seemed.  
  
“Oh, my darling Ciel, you look so attractive right now,” he said, walking over to me, his hand running down my cheek before raising up my chin. There was a seductive look on his face as he whispered, “I could almost eat you up.”  
  
I stared at his reddish-brown eyes for a moment, my heart thudding in my chest as I looked away from him and I said, “I think you need to sleep this off. I-I have a guest room you can use upstairs.” I started to walk away, but he grabbed my hand, turning me around to look up at him. I could feel my face turn red at the action and I was hoping that he didn't notice.  
  
My violet eye glowed brightly as he brushed away my bangs from my eye and I said softly, “Sebastian...” My heart continued to thud against my chest as I felt my eyes drift shut, setting my other senses aflame. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “I think you're beautiful, Ciel.” I shivered at his words and sighed softly as his nose traced across my cheek before brushing my nose.  
  
“Mm, Ciel,” he whispered softly as I could feel his hot, alcohol-soaked, breath against my lips, “I want to kiss you.”  
  
His words were slightly slurred as his nose nudged mine. My eyes were still shut as my mouth spoke for itself, “Do it.”  
  
His hand cupped my cheek and his lips gently brushed against mine as if he was debating whether or not to follow through with the action. Just a moment later, he pressed his lips against mine and I could taste alcohol and cinnamon on his lips. He grabbed my waist, pulling me closer to him as he growled. His lips pressed harder against mine as he pulled at my lip with his teeth.  
  
I broke the kiss despite my body telling me to continue. I chewed at my lip as it felt hot and swollen and turned away from Sebastian.  
  
This was a mistake. This didn't happen.  
  
“The guest room is upstairs, second door on the left. The bathroom is the first on the right; help yourself to the shower. I-I'm going to my room. Just c-call if you need anything.”  
  
I ran upstairs, questioning my actions. I had no idea how to feel. I had no idea what on earth I was doing. I curled up under my blankets as I tried to sort my mind back into place. I had never done something like that before... I had never wanted something so bad.  
  
What was wrong with me?


	6. That Butler, Pushing

-Sebastian's Point of View-

  
I sat up in bed, stretching my arms, and noticing that Ciel no longer laid beside me. There was a note scrawled in sloppy cursive on a napkin sitting on the pillow beside me. I stared at it for a moment before picking it up and reading its contents.  
  
_Sebastian,  
I'm sorry for having to leave before you woke up. Something came up and I needed to go home. Thank you for last night. Not another nightmare plagued my dreams and I slept very well. I'll be in contact with you later.  
Ciel_  
  
A small smile made its way to my lips as I placed the note down on the bedside table before climbing out of the bed and pulling on the shirt that lay in the floor from yesterday. I grabbed my cell phone off of table before wandering into the living area of the loft and stopping when I saw the shirt that Ciel wore last night thrown over the back of the couch. I picked it up, taking in the scent of expensive cologne and placing it back down with a smirk on my lips.  
  
As soon as I was upstairs fixing myself an omelet, my phone ran on the counter beside the stove. I glanced at the phone and saw the dorky picture of my ex-boyfriend/best friend, Joker, on the screen. I unlocked the phone, answering the call, and placed it on speakerphone only to hear,  _“How is my baddest bitch doing?!”_  
  
I chuckled and said, “I'm doing well; currently fixing breakfast if that's of any interest.” I threw a bit of sliced cheese, tomatoes, and spinach into my half fried eggs.  
  
_“Can I come over; you make the best breakfast I've ever had,”_  he said and I laughed. “Come on over. It's been almost a week since I saw you last.  
  
I imagined the smile on his face as he said,  _“That's actually what I was calling you about. There's a party just outside of West Side tonight in some abandoned factory. Whoever is throwing it was actually stupid enough to rent the place out for tonight. Are you interested in coming?”_  
  
“I can't even remember the last time I went to a party. I'm coming, but there better be booze. I really need a drink or ten after these past few days. This cheap beer really isn't holding me over,” I said, lighting a cigarette and taking a slow drag out of it as I flipped the omelet together. Ciel was sitting in the back of my mind as I knew that I had to refrain from showing him my attraction to him. It was so hard to, knowing what the boy did to me.  
  
_“You want to talk about it? I mean, from the sound of it, in this week you've been through hell and back,”_  Joker said and I sighed softly, taking another drag and placing my breakfast on a nearby plate. “It's nothing too important; I just want to forget part of this week. Text me directions and I'll probably be there about nine.”  
  
_“Yeah, yeah, okay. I-I'll see you there. I'm glad that you're coming, Sebastian,”_  he said and I smiled softly before I said, “I'm glad too, Joker... I'm glad too.”  
  
\---  
  
It was a quarter after nine when I arrived outside of a large factory. I could hear the loud music pumping through the air as I walked across the parking lot with slow steps. I wanted to go to this party to see my friends, but I always had a slight fear that someone would end up spiking my drink or attempt to cause me some sort of harm, taking advantage of my drunken stupor. I tried to avoid the thought of it though.  
  
The moment I walked through the doors, I saw my my friend with spiky orange hair. Joker came running towards my way with a smile on his face, placing a bottle of whiskey in my hands before dragging me towards a group of people. I knew a couple of them, but there were three that I had never seen before.  
  
Joker waved his prosthetic skeleton hand over the group before saying, “Sebastian, I know you know Claude and Grelle, but allow me to introduce you to the others here. The little blond hanging off of Claude is Alois, his boyfriend. The beautiful, buxom lady is my girlfriend, Beast. The one next to Grelle, who can't stop laughing no matter how hard to try to stop him, is Undertaker.” I nodded my head toward their way, taking a swig of my drink and noticing that Grelle was standing there, playing with the hem of her short red dress. There was a sad look in her green eyes as she glanced towards my way. She knew that I had heard about Will and I had a feeling that she came out tonight to forget her sorrows.  
  
Claude came towards my way as a few of them began to mingle with the party. His boyfriend held onto his arm tightly, his blue eyes scanning around the room as if something was going to jump out and eat him. I wouldn't doubt that this was his first time at a crazy high school/college party. He slightly reminded me of Ciel, though he seemed to be a little more clingy than the navy haired male.  
  
“I'm amazed you didn't bring Ciel with you, Sebastian,” Claude said, staring at me with his yellow eyes. He ran a hand through his hair as Alois looked at the two of us, confused. “Ciel as in Ciel Phantomhive?  _The_  Ciel that  _I'm_  friends with?”  
  
I felt my face grow hot as a smirk spread across Claude's lips. I pulled out a cigarette, placing it between my lips, and lighting it as Claude said, “No, darling. Sebastian is seeing someone at the university. They've been dating for quite a while; isn't that right, Sebastian?”  
  
I snorted before nodding and staring at Claude as if to thank him. Alois easily took the bait and I took a drag from my cigarette and blowing out the wispy smoke, taking a swig of my drink afterwards.  
  
I wanted to get Ciel out of my mind just for tonight and so far I had failed. Could I be able to keep him out just for tonight?  
  
\---  
  
I don't know what time it was or how many drinks I had consumed, but everything was flying past me as the party was in its prime. I leaned against the wall as I felt my phone ringing in my pocket. Throwing back my drink, I picked it up as I noticed Ciel's number flash across the screen. “Ciel, where are you at?!” Yep, I was beyond drunk.  
  
A couple of sober faces stared at me like I was crazy, but I didn't care. I wanted Ciel here right now. I wanted to get him drunk, get him crazy, and I wanted to have a hell of a lot of fun with him.  
  
“I-I'm at home,” he said. I could hear the sadness and fear in his voice, but my brain refused to register it. It didn't care; I didn't care. Instead, I yelled, “You need to get over here as fast as you can, darling. This is the biggest party of the entire  **fucking**  century; you want in?”  
  
There was a coy smile thrown across my face before I heard him say, “Sebastian... I can't come. I've got things to do around here. M-Maybe some other time.”  
  
All I could do was use a singsong voice and say, “Your loss, Ciel.”  
  
I hung up the phone before shoving it back in my pants pocket before I ran over to the dance floor to enjoy what was going on in this very moment. Just as I finished stumbling to the floor, I felt someone grab my arm and I turned around to see Beast. There was concern in her reddish eyes as she said, “Have you seen Grelle anywhere? She said that she needed someone to talk to, but she disappeared when I went to ask her what was wrong.”  
  
I chuckled slightly before looking at her and slurring, “Knowing Grelle, she left to go get fucked. It's what she's always done. I'm pretty sure that she's been cheating on her boyfriend this entire time.” Before I even realized it, there was a sharp pain in my cheek and Beast glared at me before snarling, “You son of a bitch; You have some nerve to talk since you never really got to know her before you fucked her.”  
  
As she stormed off, I continued to dance, grabbing to occasional shot that I'd probably regret later. As I danced, I felt someone grab my hips from behind, grinding into my rear. I glanced down to see one skeleton hand and one hand with purple painted nails.  
  
“I thought you had a girlfriend or did something happen with that,” I said softly, my words blurring together. I could feel him grow hard as he danced against me and he placed his head on my shoulder as he said, “Ah, she's acting like she has a pole shoved up her ass right now. I'm leaving her to stomp her anger off. Besides, I'd rather spend so much more time with you.” I chuckled softly as his breath was hot against my neck.  
  
He rested his head on my shoulder once again and he whispered in my ear, “Remember how we were before we broke up. There was that one night that you allowed me to fuck you senseless. How you screamed my name and you were moaning so loud that I had to cover your mouth...”  
  
I felt myself sober up slightly as I heard his words. It was as if my brain had been slapped back into reality and told to wake the hell up. My entire body tensed up as I said, “I don't want to think about that. That's something that we shouldn't even talk about right now.” I tried to pull the thought of that night out of my head, but it was holding me tightly, not allowing me to escape.  
  
“Come on, baby; you don't want to remember the night you lost your virginity?” He said softly as his tongue ran over my earlobe as he pulled at the hoop in my ear with his teeth.  
  
I turned around, shoving him away from me and saying, “I only gave it to you because I loved you and I wanted to save our relationship. Two days later though, you dumped me, Joker; you dumped me and said that it was a lost cause from the start!”  
  
He tried to get me to come back, but I walked away, heading to the bar to throw back a few shots of vodka, trying to forget that night, trying to forget Ciel, just trying to forget everything.  
  
\---  
  
I barely made it to Ciel's house as I drove through West Side, dodging cars and who the hell knows what. I was drunk; I had, had too much to drink, but it didn't matter; I had to get to Ciel. I needed to be near Ciel.  
  
I put my car in park just outside the two story townhouse. A single light glowed from the window by the door and I knew that he was awake. For a moment, my brain allowed me to think straight and question why Ciel was awake at three in the morning, but I just stumbled out of the car, heading towards the front door.  
  
I stood at the door for a moment before knocking and Ciel opened the door, looking up at me in annoyance. He was wearing an oversized white button-up and a pair of plaid boxers. A grin spread across my lips as he let me into the house and the two of us wandered into the living area. He looked so amazing and I just wanted him to be mine.  
  
I walked over to him, his mismatched eyes watching me carefully. I ran a hand over his cold cheek and said, “Oh, my darling Ciel, you look so attractive right now.” He tried turn his head away and I tipped up his chin to meet his eyes before whispering, “I could almost eat you up.”  
  
He stared at me in shock and I gave him a coy smile. My blood was running hot in my veins as I could feel my attraction for him grow stronger. He looked away from me saying, “I think you need to sleep this off. I-I have a guest room that you can use upstairs.”  
  
As he turned to walk away, I grabbed his hand, turning him back around. Our faces were so close when looked up at me and his face turned scarlet. His violet eye glowed as I felt my hand burn as I brushed away his bangs to get a better look at it. “Sebastian...” He whispered softly, his eyes drifted shut as he leaned into my hand.  
  
I leaned down, my lips next to his ear as I whispered, “I think you're beautiful, Ciel.” He shivered at my words and I let off a breathy sigh as I teasingly traced my nose across his cheek before I slipped it next to his, our lips only mere centimeters away. They weren't close enough to brush as we spoke, but at the moment, that was best.  
  
I had to hold myself back as I whispered, “Mm, Ciel. I want to kiss you.” My eyes were shut as I nudged his nose and he said, “Do it.”  
  
My heart raced in my chest as I cupped his cheek, brushing his lips when my brain snapped back into reality. Should I do it? Was it going to affect what we have right now? I didn't want to pass off this opportunity so easily and here was my chance to do what my heart desired.  
  
My heart flew in front of what I was debating and I kissed his lips gently. He kissed back roughly as if he had been holding himself back; I could almost taste his desire. I grabbed his waist, pulling him against me as I growled. Ciel was mine; I had claimed him as my own. I kissed him roughly before breaking away for a moment to tug at his lip with my teeth. There was one last, soft kiss before he pulled away, turning his back to me.  
  
His voice wavered as he said, “The guest room is upstairs, second door on the left. The bathroom is the first on the right; help yourself to the shower. I-I'm going to my room. Just c-call if you need anything.”  
  
I watched as he scurried up the stairs and I felt numb as I lifted my hand up to my lips, feeling the heat radiating off of them. I could still feel the alcohol running through my bloodstream, but it wasn't as strong. I could almost feel the pain of what I did.  
  
\---  
  
The could water splashed down my face and body. I don't know how long I had been in the shower,  
but my mind had fixed itself back in place after emptying the contents of my stomach and sitting in the frigid water for such a long time. I shook as I stepped out of the shower before pulling back on my black undershirt and ripped jeans. I glanced at myself in the mirror that took up almost all of the wall and sighed.  
  
This was the face of someone who may have ruined their relationship with the only person that he's gotten close with since sophomore year. This was the person who didn't finished thinking before he acted. This was the boy that let his heart overpower his mind.  
  
I walked up to the mirror, noticing the spider web crack going up the the glass and tiny fragments that were missing from it. There was a faint trace of dark red on the glass and all I could think of was the bandage on Ciel's hand and his supposed incident with a vase. I knew that it had to have been a lie from the start and this proved it. I was curious though to why he would have punched the mirror, knowing the consequences.  
  
I dried my hair and grabbed my jacket and shirt, walking out of the bathroom only to hear a loud crash at the end of the hall; there was no doubt that it was Ciel. I heard a strangled scream as if he was trying to hide his emotions and I knew that he was upset and he was taking his frustration out on the things around him.  
  
I wanted to comfort him, but I was afraid that he was acting like this because of the kiss. I didn't want to upset him further, but it didn't feel right just leaving him in the state that he was in. I heard another slam and a shout of frustration as I took my things to my room before walking down the hall, lightly knocking on the door.  
  
It flew open just a moment later to reveal a red-faced, tear-stained Ciel. His lips were pulled into a tight line as he said, “What is it, Sebastian?”  
  
I chewed at my lip and said, “Are you okay?” He went to slam the door in my face, but I stopped it, forcing it back open before stepping into the room as Ciel shouted at me. “Get the hell out of my room!”  
  
“I'm not leaving. You and I need to talk about what happened earlier.” My words still held a slight slur due to the alcohol still in my system, but I was able to focus on the matter at hand.  
  
Ciel's eye glowed a bright violet as he said, “There's nothing to talk about. Nothing happened, Sebastian. I have no idea what you want to talk about.” He crossed his arms in front of his chest, kicking a book that lay in the floor with his foot.  
  
I stared at him in agitation, feeling my hand burn before I grabbed Ciel by the arms, shaking him as he tried to look away from me. “Look into my damn eyes, Ciel; I'm going to tell you something important and I want you to pay attention to me!” I shouted at him and clutched him tightly as his mismatched eyes met mine. I sighed before I said, “Ciel, I like you. I like you a lot more than I probably should and I don't know what it is about you, b-but it's something unexplainable. I don't care what you think and I know you'll probably reject the idea of it, but there's something between us and you damn well know that there is. No one kisses like that unless there's something there.” He stared up at me, his eyes showing his shock.  
  
The two of us stood there, so close to one another. I loosened my grip on his arms and he whispered softly, “Get out of my room.” I tightened my grip on his arms for a second before letting go and walking away. I opened the door, glancing back at him one more time before slamming it so hard that the house shook.  
  
I went back to my room, laying on top of the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I didn't sleep any that night. Ciel just floated around in my mind until I thought that I was going to go crazy.  
  
\---  
  
I dozed off around eight only to wake up sometime after eleven. I climbed out of the bed, pulling on my shirt and jacket before walking out of the room. Ciel's bedroom door was shut, but I walked down the hall and knocking lightly on the door.  
  
Though there wasn't a response, I opened the door to find Ciel fast asleep. He was curled up under a blue comforter, only taking up a fourth of the queen sized bed. I gave a soft chuckle, walking over to the side of the bed where he was sleeping and kneeled down, running my fingers through his soft navy black locks before whispering, “How can someone so cute be such an asshole?”  
  
I stood up to leave the room and I heard him roll over from where he was sleeping. There was a soft mumble of, “Sebastian,” and I turned around just to check that he was still asleep. I must have been the thing following him through his dreams as of late.  
  
As I walked downstairs, I felt bad for just leaving without giving him a note to explain my absence. I wanted to show him though, that I was still angry and that he needed to know how I felt since he rejected the idea of the feelings that the two of us share.  
  
I walked out the door, shutting it lightly as I left, making sure that it was locked. As I was walking to my car, I saw a blonde with curly hair walking down the sidewalk. She looked at me in slight shock and I noticed that she was wearing a gray dress, hose, and simple flats; no doubt that she had just came from church.  
  
“I presume that you're Sebastian?” She asked, stopping just by my car so that she could speak to me. I glanced at her and said, “Yes. You're Ciel's girlfriend, right?”  
  
“You're correct,” she said, holding out her hand for me to shake, “I'm Elizabeth Midford.”  
  
“Such a beautiful name for such a beautiful lady,” I said. I was trying to be sweet to her, knowing that she probably had a grudge against me for spending so much time with her boyfriend lately. She blushed at my words, giving me a small smile.  
  
She bit at her lip for a moment before saying, “May I ask why you were at Ciel's so early in the morning?” She stared up at me with her bright green eyes, twisting her finger around a blonde curl.  
  
“The two of us were working on a project late last night and he invited me to stay over so I wouldn't have to drive all the way back to West Side so late at night,” I said giving her a soft smile and she nodded her head.  
  
“I take that he's home right now since you came out of the house,” she said and I nodded my head before saying, “Yes, he's home. He's still in bed though so you may have to go and drag him out of bed by ringing the doorbell.”  
  
I chuckled and she gave me a smile, but the look in her eyes seemed like she was slightly annoyed with me before she said, “Well, it was nice meeting you, Sebastian.”  
  
“Likewise,” I said, climbing into my car as she walked away. I started my car, driving down the road, getting stuck in traffic as I was heading back to West Side. I rolled my eyes knowing that I had to be a work around one and I had things to get done before then.  
  
My phone started ringing and for a moment, I thought it was Ciel until I glanced at the image only to see it was Claude. I rolled my eyes and picked up the phone, about to make a smartass comment until I heard him say, “Sebastian, Grelle is missing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, thought'd I finally stop being shy and hiding behind my words. I'm Kayla, the writer of this story. To all you readers out there, I'm hope you're enjoying the story and I really like to receive feedback to know whether or not I'm doing something good, or doing something horrid. 
> 
> This is my first Kuroshitsuji fanfic, so please bear with me. Stay tuned for what happens next!


	7. His Master, Telling Lies

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
The doorbell rang, disturbing my slumber. A part of me wished that Sebastian would get up and answer the door, but I had a feeling that he wouldn't. As I crawled out of bed, pulling on a pair of sweatpants and my eye patch, I began to wonder who was at the door.  
  
As I walked past the guest room, I noticed that the door was closed. I figured that either Sebastian was still upset with me or sleeping off his awful hangover. The sound of the doorbell stopped me from checking in on him as I sighed, making my way downstairs.  
  
“I'm amazed that you hadn't gotten out of bed yet, Ciel. It's Sunday; I figured that you might go to church,” Lizzy said as I let her into the house. She was wearing her typical gray Sunday dress with a pair of flats with little white bows. I was amazed that she had even came to see me after yesterday's events.  
  
“Lizzy, how many times do I have to tell you; yes, we went to the same church as kids; yes, my family was Catholic; I have no intentions in going to church though. I haven't even set foot in a church since Madam Red passed away and that was over a year ago,” I said, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I had no intentions of going to church. My faith in religion disappeared with my family.  
  
“Mother asked me to invite you, but I told her you wouldn't come,” she said softly, sitting on the couch. Her eyes fell upon the papers spread out on one of the cushions; the papers that I hadn't put away after my spell with Sebastian last night.  
  
As she went to pick on up, I scurried over, attempting to put them together and saying, “Y-You can't see these. They're confidential documents.” I stuttered with my partial lie. My work with Victoria was to be kept only between her, Sebastian, and I, but I couldn't just come out and tell Lizzy that.  
  
She frowned, watching me with stern green eyes before saying, “I take that it's a part of the project that you and Sebastian are supposed to be working on?” She sounded agitated and I'm sure my stare of confusion only made it worse. She sighed, playing with a single curl and continued, “I met him outside. He was leaving as I was coming in. He apologized for the amount of time you two were spending together and blamed it on a project that both of you have been working on. I'm curious, Ciel; what is this project?” I stared at her for a moment not knowing what to say.  
  
I grabbed my laptop off the couch, placing my papers back in their manila folder, and saying, “I'm restricted from talking about it and so is Sebastian. If you'd excuse me, I'm going to go change; I feel indecent standing near you in only my night clothes.” I walked off, taking my casework with me upstairs.  
  
When I woke up, I didn't see a note from Sebastian about his departure. I had glanced at my blank fridge, checked the vacant guest room, and looked around my room to find nothing. The only conclusion I that I could come to was that he was still upset with me.  
  
I wouldn't blame him though. I acted as if nothing had happened between us and when he tried to pound the idea that my mind was rejecting into my head, I told him to get out. I couldn't get that look in his reddish-brown eyes when he walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.  
  
I hate to admit it, but he was right. There was a part of me that was beginning to harbor some kind of feelings for him. They had showed the night I slept beside him and they let themselves free last night when I kissed him. I just couldn't... I just didn't know how to describe the feelings that were starting to eat at me the longer I was with him.  
  
I found myself staring at my violet eye in the mirror after getting dressed. When Sebastian had brushed my bangs away from my face last night, it was almost as if there was a connection that bound us to one another. There had been burning sensation in my eye, but it didn't cause me pain, no, it just made my heart beat faster as I focused on him. My hand covered the eye as I whispered, “What is so special about you?”  
  
As I walked back downstairs, I saw that Lizzy was talking to someone on her phone. I only caught blimps of the conversation as I rummaged through the fridge for a piece of cake. The last bit of the conversation was loud and clear to me though. “Alright, Alois. We'll see you guys there in about an hour.”  
  
“What did that brat want?” I asked, half a slice of chocolate cake shoved in my mouth. Two of my favorite things in the world, food wise, were sweets and Taco Bell.  
  
Lizzy rolled her eyes and said, “He's not a brat, Ciel. You should consider him as a friend since you talk about him so much. Never mind that, Alois has invited us to have lunch with him and his boyfriend.”  
  
She gave me a bright smile and I grinned, knowing that there was no was to escape this.  
  
I shoved another mouthful of cake into my mouth and said, “This better not end up like last time, Elizabeth.”  
  
\---  
  
I slipped my fork into my second piece of cake today. I was the one paying for mine and Lizzy's meal so I was allowed to have as much cake as I pleased. As I tried to refrain from groaning in pleasure from the taste of vanilla and sugar in my mouth, Lizzy and Alois were talking as if their lives depended on it. Claude, Alois' boyfriend, hadn't said three words during lunch and I had only spoke when necessary.  
  
Claude stared at me with his yellow eyes before pushing up his glasses and saying, “You seem to be enjoying that cake a little bit too much.” I was amazed that acknowledged me and chuckled, putting the last piece in my mouth. I choked on it when Claude said, “I heard you've been spending a lot of time with Sebastian as of late.”  
  
Lizzy and Alois glanced over our way before continuing their gossip about some clique at school. Claude smirked as I took a gulp of my water and said, “It's true. The two of us have been working on something together for school.”  
  
He nodded his head and said, “He mentioned something about that when I told him that Grelle went missing at the party last night. He was there also, but the last time I saw him, he was beyond drunk, dancing with his ex-boyfriend. I'm amazed he even remembers who was there last night.” A smirk fell upon his lips once again as he noticed that I was trying to process this new information.  
  
Not only was Grelle missing, but I felt slightly jealous that Sebastian had an ex that he was getting pretty personal with at that party last night.  
  
Lizzy and Alois had taken sudden interest in our conversation and I could see a flame spark in Lizzy's green eyes as she said, “I thought you and Sebastian were working on that project last night or did you lie to me, Ciel?” She watched me very carefully, pulling apart my every move as I saw the amusement in Claude's golden eyes.  
  
“We were working on our project before he went to the party. The party was on West Side, where he also lives, and he said that he was going to go there right afterwards,” I said, realizing that I had trapped myself in my own lie as I had no idea on how to continue. I just stared at the cake crumbs on the plate in front of me in order to avoid Lizzy's burning glare.  
  
She gritted her teeth and said, “He came out of your house this morning, Ciel. He even told me that you were still asleep as if he had seen it with his own eyes. You're fooling around with him, aren't you? Yo-You've been cheating on m-me...” she said as tears streamed down her cheeks and I pulled her close and said, “Lizzy, I'd never do that to you. I love you and you should know that. I admit it, he went to the party and came to my house drunk. I sent him to sleep in the guest room and I didn't see him for the rest of the night or this morning. I swear on my life, Elizabeth.”  
  
She shoved me away and said, “I don't believe you; I can't believe you.” That's when her gaze turned to Alois as she said, “Do you mind coming with me to my house? You can stay the night; Mother won't mind.” Alois gave her a small nod and she grabbed her purse before walking away from the table, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  
  
Alois looked my way and said, “I believe you, Ciel. J-Just give her some time; she just needs a little time,” he glanced towards the door as his voice drifted before he turned around and gave Claude a quick, chaste kiss and said, “I'm going to go.” He ran towards the door, leaving Claude and I with the bill.  
  
The two of us paid for our portions and the two of us walked out the door to part ways. Claude looked at me and said, “Don't worry; you and Sebastian are safe with me.” He gave me a slight smile and I stared as he walked away.  
  
I didn't know what he meant by that statement, but I'm sure that Sebastian had told him something that I didn't know about. Claude seemed a lot closer to Sebastian than he made it out to be anways.  
  
A sigh escaped my lips and I walked home to bury myself in paperwork for Funtom and the report that Victoria needed.  
  
\---  
  
I sat in the living room playing chess with myself. Though not many people played against me anymore, I always tried to practice. Besides that, this chessboard was the last present that Madam Red bought me before her passing so I cherished it greatly.  
  
Just as I was about to make an important move in the game, my phone vibrated against the chessboard, knocking over the white king and a black knight. I stared at the fallen pieces for a moment before grabbing the phone to see who broke my concentration. As the screen lit up, one of my favorite names came up; Sebastian.  
  
I smiled and thought about he was giving up his game of ignoring me so soon. I was enjoying the tension quite a bit and it had been less than twelve hours since it began; it was only eight at night. I unlocked the phone and opened the message only to have the smile on my face falter at its contents.  
  
_Ciel, I need you. Come to the loft ASAP_  
  
My eye burned behind the patch as a sinking feeling sat in my gut. I slid my hand up to my eye, placing it on the silk before the eye began to sting sharply, causing me to wince. It disappeared a few moments later and I climbed off of the couch to throw a few of my things into my shoulder bag. I grabbed my car keys off the hook beside the door before walking outside into the cold air.  
  
I didn't use the car all that much because I didn't care to drive through city traffic. Everything for me was typically within a walking distance; if it was far off though, I could always take the bus or call Bard, my driver. The car sat in a nearby parking garage and I only took it out about twice a month.  
  
Tonight though, it was an emergency. I didn't have time to wait on a bust and since it was so late, I didn't want to call Bard. I knew his wife wouldn't appreciate being stuck with their roommate for so long because the two of them have the tendency to break almost anything.  
  
I ran my fingers along the hood of my dark blue Charger before climbing into the car. I knew that it was an expensive car to leave in the garage, but I had fallen in love with it the moment I had my hands on my license.  
  
My eye burned all the way across town and I pulled off the eye patch, throwing it in the passenger seat when I was sitting at a red light. The eye glowed brightly as I glanced into the rear view mirror and I let off a soft sigh as a slight sting pricked at it.  
  
I parked beside the large gray building where Sebastian's loft was located, tying back on my silk patch, and grabbing my bag. My feet slowly carried me up the steps until I found Sebastian sitting outside his loft. The cold air was drifting through the concrete corridors and it only made it worse when it began to rain.  
  
A cigarette was placed in Sebastian's hand, the end of it a glowing ember as he brought it to his lips. He hadn't given me a single glance and I had noticed that there were several cigarette butts sitting around him. The water was dripping off the concrete siding of the end of the corridor, hitting Sebastian and I, causing me to shiver.  
  
I glanced down at him, focusing on the butts again and said, “It must be something serious if you've smoked that much in twenty minutes.”  
  
He glanced up at me and I could have swore that there were tears in his reddish-brown eyes as he stood up and opened the door, walking inside. I followed him, only to stop in the doorway in shock at the disheveled room.  
  
As I stepped in the room, trying to avoid the papers strewn across the floor, he said, “I left to go to work at half past twelve. I came home to find it like this.” There was a frown on his face as I tried to take in the horror of the loft. One of the guitars was smashed in the corner. Books had been ripped out of the bookshelf leaving some of Sebastian's picture frames cracked or shattered. I was scared to see what happened upstairs, but I knew something was broke since there was liquid dripping down onto the main floor.  
  
Sebastian walked over to the archway that led to his bedroom and leaned against it, putting out the cigarette on the concrete wall. He stepped into the section gesturing for me to follow him. The moment I walked in, he grabbed me and pulled me close before I even got a look at what had happened in the room.  
  
“I'm afraid to let you see what happened to this room because I don't know how you're going to react. Ciel, I know something happened to you after your parents passed away and that's why you keep having nightmares. I'm afraid that if you see this, you're going to fall apart and I'm not going to know how to put the pieces back together. I don't want that to happen to you,” he whispered softly, placing his lips against my forehead and I glanced up at him. I could see the worry in his eyes.  
  
The words just tumbled out of my lips before I could even think, “Sebastian, I'm sorry for last night. I-I don't know what got into me and I was rude to you. I just... I care about you too.” I don't know where the words even came from, but he smiled down at me as if he had forgotten the words that he had said moments ago.  
  
He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on the side of my lips and said, “I'm here for you, Ciel. I just want you to remember that.” My heart fluttered rapidly in my chest and I felt my cheeks flush. Lizzy came up in my mind and I thought about how I upset her earlier as Sebastian continued to hold me tight.  
  
“C-Can I see the room?” I stuttered and Sebastian gave me a long look before he reluctantly loosened his grip on my waist and said, “I don't want to show you, but I have no choice.” He let go of me and I turned around slowly, only for my eyes to go wide at the sight.  
  
The first thing I noticed was the long slash in Sebastian's comforter. Tufts of cotton was sticking out from the split and my heart fell through my chest as I saw a message written in a red substance on the wall.  
  
_Keep looking and you'll be next_  
  
The words bled down the gray concrete and I saw two photographs taped just above the headboard of Sebastian's bed. I walked over to look at them as I felt a lump in my throat as if my body was telling me that it was a horrible decision.  
  
The photo on the left was a simple Polaroid with four people. There was a man who resembled Sebastian's grandfather, a woman with brown hair and kind eyes, a man with a scar running down his cheek and a bottle of beer in his hands, and a young boy with reddish-brown eyes and a bright smile on his face. He couldn't have been any older than seven and I found myself glancing back at Sebastian, who was leaning against the wall. His eyes quickly averted my gaze and I sighed softly, moving onto the next photo.  
  
The second photograph was slightly singed around the edges as if it was lit on fire at some point. Unlike the last one, this picture only had three people. My fingers ran over their faces as I stared at them. There was a man with navy black hair and brown eyes, a woman with long blonde hair and cerulean blue eyes, and a young boy who looked all to familiar with a smile on his face. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at the photo and I hadn't realized that I had stopped breathing until my lungs screamed for air. This photo had been taken from the fire; this photo was my family.  
  
I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand and stared at both of the pictures before I came to notice an emblem on the photograph with my family. In the bottom right-hand corner of the slightly burnt photograph was a dark black stamp of two snakes wrapped around one another.  
  
My eyes went wide and I whipped my head around to look at Sebastian. He stopped leaning against the wall and he looked prepared to walk over to me as tears ran down my face and I choked out, “It's them.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter as a lot of plot in it. I'll get to the SebaCiel eventually.


	8. That Butler, Sadistic

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
I had a horrible feeling about what would happen when Ciel looked at the room. He was the one who had the most contact with Victoria though and this entire scene was vital to our case. The only thing that I didn't truly understand though was why there were photographs of our families. Yes, I was the last of the Michaelis family and he, the Phantomhive, but was there some connection with that in our case?  
  
Ciel's body shook as his fingertips traced across the singed photograph of the Phantomhives. When I first saw the photos, it stood out to me the most because not only was it burnt, but there was also a black emblem of the two snakes in the corner. I knew that it wasn't Ciel's family crest because I had seen the symbol on the gold ring that he wore.  
  
I leaned against the wall, my face showing concern for the younger male as he sat on his knees on the bed. I stood up straight though when he whipped his head back around, blue eyes scared as tears fell down his face, his voice barely escaping his lips. “It's them.”  
  
I had no idea who “them” were, but at the moment it didn't matter. My main concern was getting Ciel out of the loft and away from this room before it caused him more trauma than it already had.  
  
I scooped him up bridal style before grabbing my keys off the bedside table. He buried his face into my neck, his tears quickly wetting the fabric of my shirt, but it didn't matter. He was hurting and it was all my fault that I had allowed this to happen. I picked his bag up from its abandoned spot on the couch and slammed the door to the loft behind the two of us.  
  
I knew that it had to be cleaned up, but Ciel was my main priority. I needed to get him back to the townhouse and calm him down before he ended up causing himself harm. There was a high chance that I would be spending another night with the younger male, but I didn't mind. I knew Ciel was comfortable when I was around him and that's what mattered the most.  
  
As thunder rumbled and the rain pelted down, I placed Ciel in the passenger seat of my car, only to have the sixteen year old clutch onto my shirt and stare up at me with that one blue eye. “Don't leave me,” he begged and I placed his bag in the floorboard and said softly, “I'm not leaving you, darling. I'm taking you home and I'll stay with you as long as you want me to.”  
  
I watched him carefully and he nodded his head before letting me go.  
  
Chewing at my lip, I watched him through the window before walking over to the driver's side and climbing into the car. Lightening struck overhead as I began to drive over to East Side, glancing over at Ciel occasionally. I had no idea what had sent him into this state of mind, but I had a feeling that it had to deal with the photograph of him and his parents.  
  
Ciel whined, tears falling down his beautiful face once again as I drove as fast as I could through the city traffic and pouring rain.  
  
\---  
  
Ciel had finally calmed down just ten minutes before eleven. The two of us were currently laying in his bed; Ciel in his pajamas and me in my black undershirt and a pair of borrowed sweatpants. I was still concerned for the younger boy because he had clung onto me his entire episode, telling me that he was afraid and begging me not to leave him. I had never seen someone that fearful in my life, but his mood seemed to have finally changed as he laid on his side, staring at me with those mismatched eyes.  
  
I laid on my stomach, tucking a strand of his navy black hair behind his ear before giving him a soft smile. He didn't frown at me, but at the same time, he didn't smile. I was about to ask him what he was thinking about, but he cut off the words when he spoke up first. “You said earlier that you knew something had to have happened to me after my parents' death, h-how did you know?” He watched me carefully.  
  
I picked my words as I would my steps while walking on thin ice. “I've heard rumors, but I don't think any of them are true. I developed a theory during the first night when you fell asleep on the couch and pushed me away when I tried to touch you. After you had the other nightmare though, I knew that it had to be true.”  
  
He glanced away from me for a moment, mumbling words that I couldn't hear, but there was one fragment that was clear to me.  _It was the worst month in my life_  His eyes met mine once again and he nodded his head and let off a soft sigh. I knew not to press him about the manner because not only was I afraid that it would trigger another attack, but I believed that he would tell me when he felt comfortable with talking about it.  
  
It was silent between the two of us for quite some time and Ciel reached out to me, his fingers tracing over one of the many raised scars on my back. His eyes watched his finger trace very carefully, moving onto another after the first had finished its path. I glanced up at his slightly fascinated and confused face and said, “I've never seen someone so interested in someone covered in scars.” I used to be self-conscious about the markings, but he was the first that had really seen them.  
  
Ciel's face turned crimson at an instant and he mumbled, “I don't see why someone would cause this kind of harm to someone; I don't believe in doing it.” His fingers idly ran down another scar, stopping at the edge of my undershirt as it continued down my flesh.  
  
I remembered the other night when he had asked about them and I bluntly ignored his question. As the past few days have went by though, I've grown fonder of the younger male. He had also seen the Polaroid that I thought my father had burnt up all those years ago. Ciel hadn't asked about my parents yet, but I knew the question was beginning to loom over the two of us.  
  
“Do you want to see all of them? It was dark the other night and I don't even think that you could see the ones at the very bottom of my back,” I said, slipping off of the bed before he could say a word. I could feel Ciel's eyes burn into my flesh as I pulled the shirt over my head, placing it with the rest of my clothes over on the futon. I could almost feel the shock radiating off of Ciel as he stared at my marred body.  
  
His cold hands ran down the short markings on my shoulders to the long ones towards the middle and small of my back. Joker was the only other person who had ever seen them, but that was once in a dimly lit room. He never asked about them and even if he did, I would have never been willing to tell the story. With Ciel though, it was a different case. Like me, he had secrets of his own that he wouldn't tell anyone. That was the one thing that we truly had in common.  
  
Ciel traced a long scar at the base of my spine and I said softly, “My father never cared for me. When my mother was pregnant, he wanted her to get an abortion; she didn't though in hopes that he'd have a change of heart once I was born.” Ciel's tracing stopped with my words and I cleared my throat before continuing, “He was a drunk and had came staggering home most nights, only to come after me. My mother screamed for him to stop, but he just slapped her and continued. He'd tie my hands in front of me and bind my legs with rope, forcing me to look at the wall as he took a whip and cracked it against my back over and over.”  
  
My voice cracked and Ciel put a hand on my shoulder and said, “Sebastian, you don't have to continue.”  
  
I shook my head, “That last year was the worst. Mother joined in with him until they felt like they were done with me. Both of my mother's parents were deceased so they took me to my grandfather's when I was eight and dropped me on his doorstep only to disappear as if they were never really there. Ciel, I lied to you the other night when you asked about my past because I thought you would run away from me. I trust you though and I hope that it really means a lot.”  
  
I gave him a soft smile as I rolled over onto my side to get a better look at him. I felt his fingers flutter over the raven feather on my side, only to find the other tattoo that was placed right above it that trailed down my ribs. He took particular interest in the scripted words.  
  
“ _Animam Immortalem_ ; immortal soul, if I'm correct?” He said and I gave him a bright smile. “I had no idea that you knew Latin.”  
  
Once again, he blushed heavily, trying to hide it by climbing off of the bed and saying, “We have to get up for school tomorrow.” He shut off the light as he slid back under the covers, his back facing towards me.  
  
I listened to his breathing even out and as I thought he was asleep, he turned around to face me, his violet eye glowing just enough to give off a dim light between the two of us. I pulled him close to me, my eyes falling shut as his nose brushed my cheek; we were face to face. My head turned the slightest to where mine and his lips brushed, waiting to see if he would initiate a kiss.  
  
His lips quivered against mine as I could almost hear the internal debate of whether or not he should kiss me. There was a slight brush though as his hand touched my face ever so slightly, placing a feather soft kiss on my lips. A coy smile spread across my face as I whispered, “Is that the best you can do?”  
  
I felt his lips press against mine once again and I grabbed his waist, pulling him flush against me. Our bodies shifted as he was pushed onto his back and my body was in between his legs, holding myself up so I didn't crush him with my weight.  
  
My tongue swiped across his bottom lip, asking for entrance that he happily accepted. I wanted to laugh at his enthusiasm, but now wasn't the time for that. Ciel wasn't exactly an expert at French kissing so I went easy on him, trying to teach him without using words. I could feel his body reacting with our actions and I had to try to stop myself from smiling.  
  
I kissed his jaw gently as he was trying to catch his breath and as my lips moved down his neck, I popped open the first three buttons of his shirt only to hear him squeak out, “Sebastian, what are you doing?”  
  
A smile graced my lips, pulling the shirt away from his right side, revealing his pale white shoulder and protruding collarbone. I placed my lips on the flesh only to hear a breathy moan escape his lips as I sucked on the skin, nipping at it ever now and again. Him squirming under me and moaning in pleasure only turned me on more and more by the second and I could feel my hand burning fiercely with the intimate contact.  
  
I wanted to mark him to show that he was mine. I wanted it to be a reminder that I had feelings for him. I didn't want him to forget this moment and I wanted it to sit in the back of his mind, no matter where he went or what he was doing.  
  
My burning hand gave off a dark purple aura as I bit his bruising flesh before pulling away. Ciel sighed softly, trying to get his heart rate back down as I moved back to the other side of the bed, trying to hide my hard-on. His eye glowed as he glanced over at me and he said, “Can you feel it too?”  
  
I stared at him confused for a moment and said, “Feel what?” I almost added sexual arousal to that question, but I bit back the words as he said, “The burning. It's not painful, but it's still there. It's in my eye so I figured that it may also be joined with your hand...” He trailed off before saying, “Sebastian, are you feeling alright?”  
  
“I'm fine and yes, I feel the same sensation in my hand. It seems that we have the connection that I've been wondering about for quite a while,” I said as Ciel reached over, rummaging through his bedside table before pulling out a small mirror and handing it to me saying, “Your eyes...”  
  
That's when I saw what he was talking about. In the dim lighting, I saw that my eyes were no longer their typical reddish-brown. Instead, they were almost a glowing crimson, my pupils turned to mere slits; almost like a cat.  
  
Quickly, my eyes turned back to their original state as I said to Ciel, “I think it has to do with the connection. Your eye glows brighter when I'm close to you. Maybe with this kind of contact that you and I had is a part of the connection shining through.”  
  
Ciel stared at me for a moment before nodding his head and taking the mirror back from me. I feared that I had slightly scared him, but I had no idea what was going on myself. It wasn't normal for a human to have eyes like that... Then again, it wasn't human to have a random tetragrammaton to show up on your hand/eye, was it?  
  
I laid down on the bed as Ciel snuggled into my side. I wrapped an arm around him, holding him close to me, and taking in his scent of expensive cologne and freshly washed sheets. I slept peacefully that night, knowing that I was probably getting myself in trouble for falling for Ciel.  
  
\---  
  
“Dammit to hell, Sebastian!” I heard the shout from Ciel's room and I chuckled, slipping on my leather jacket. I walked into the bedroom only to find him standing in front of the mirror with his navy blue shirt unbuttoned, staring at the dark bruises that were staining the area between his collarbone to the edge of his shoulder.  
  
I hugged him from behind and said, “What you don't like it? I could have put them on your neck, but that's very unprofessional for the head of the Phantomhive family and I don't want Elizabeth to find out about our rendezvous.”  
  
He sighed, buttoning up his shirt and saying, “You're lucky that I tolerate you.” He gave me a small smile, pulling on a gray hoodie, and throwing on his shoulder bag before saying, “Are you going to be there this morning to help me give the report to Victoria?”  
  
I shook my head and said, “No, but I will give her the information about the loft tomorrow and photographs from it since it's important information to this case and I don't want you to have to deal with that again.” I gave him a worried look and he nodded his head. “That's entirely understandable, but it needs to be done by tomorrow. Are you ready to go to school; if we don't leave now, we run the chance of being late.”  
  
“You're lucky I keep my bag in my trunk.”  
  
\---  
  
I ran a hand though my semi-long black locks, waiting for Claude to show up. My back was resting against the royal blue lockers as I craved a cigarette. I made a mental note to stop by and get a pack, even though I had to take Ciel over to West Side to pick up his car.  
  
A sigh escaped my lips, questioning whether I would get my regular lunch table, but knowing Claude, him and his boyfriend were probably hiding out in a janitor's closet somewhere. I stared up at the clock and decided to give him five minutes when I saw Ciel and Lizzy walking by, hand in hand.  
  
I stared at the pair, feeling jealousy boil up inside of me. I hated seeing the two of them together, but a small smirk crossed my lips as I remembered the marks that Ciel was hiding under that button up. She had no idea they were there, but they proved that he was mine.  
  
I noticed that Ciel's hand was clutched into a fist as he held it at his side and he gave me a quick glance before he dropped a folded piece of paper on the tiled floor. I glanced at it, watching the happy couple walk away as I picked it up and read its neatly scripted contents.  
  
_Sebastian,_  
  
_I gave Victoria the summary of what we've found so far and mentioned you bringing in the photographs of the loft to her. She's requested to see the two family photos as well. I've already turned in my written report, but she would also like one from you; please leave our mishaps out of it, Sebastian._  
  
_Also, do you think we can talk about last night? I feel the need to discuss the matter; I'd like to know where the two of us happen to stand. It's nothing bad, I promise; please, don't worry. I have to admit, I am quite fond of you._  
  
_I'm taking Elizabeth out to dinner tonight (I'll explain later) and I'd like to see you afterwards. Is there any chance that you can clean up the loft by ten tonight? I'll bring you the spare comforter that I have at home so don't worry about buying a new one. I also might stay the night; if you'd have me._  
  
_I hope to get the answers to these questions later._  
  
_Ciel Alexander Phantomhive_  
  
I smiled, folding the note up before placing it in my jacket pocket, glancing down the hall to see the large groups of students slowly fading away. It was almost time for the bell to ring to begin the first lunch period and start class for the other students and Claude still had yet to show up.  
  
I rolled my eyes, walking down the hall before I saw a small, pale hand clutch onto my arm and pull me next to the staircase. It was a secluded area and I turned around only to see a boy with teal eyes and blond hair. It took me a moment to realize that it was Alois, Claude's boyfriend.  
  
“Where's Claude?” I asked him as he stared at me with his bright teal eyes, picking at his purple and black spiderweb manicure. He almost looked scared as he watched me, but I could see cruel intentions in his eyes.  
  
“He's waiting outside for you, but I told him that I needed to talk to you first,” he said and I stared at him with narrowed eyes, crossing my arms in front of my chest. I couldn't help, but feel annoyed that he was wasting my time for no specific reason.  
  
“Lizzy thinks that Ciel is cheating on her with you. During second, when Ciel and I were playing football with the rest of the class, he was knocked down and the stitching in the right side of his shirt ripped. I saw the bruises, the hickeys on his shoulder, Sebastian. I know that there's no way in hell that Lizzy could have put them there because I was with her all of last night and those were too fresh to be a few days old. Are you fucking Ciel or not?” He asked, his voice raising in anger as he spat the question out. I could tell that this blond was hot tempered and I had no idea why Claude would be dating someone like this brat.  
  
I had no idea that Alois was so concerned about my sex life, I thought as I gritted my teeth and said, “If I was fucking Ciel, he wouldn't even be walking right now. Besides, my life and who I  **fuck**  is none of your damn business. If you really want to know, the last guy fucked was your darling Claude and that was six months ago. He couldn't walk straight for three days.” The blond stared at me astonished and I walked away, leaving him with his jaw on the floor.  
  
As soon as I was outside, Claude opened his mouth to say something to me, but I cut him off and snarled, “Keep your puppy on his fucking leash.” I glared at him, giving him a small smile as he watched me with his yellow eyes.  
  
With that, I walked off, clutching my keys tightly in my hand. I was done with this school and I just couldn't stand another minute of people ridiculing and tearing me apart piece by piece. I threw my bag into the backseat, turned my radio up almost as loud as it could go, and tore out of the parking lot, leaving a trail of smoke behind me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I write too much for my own good. With this chapter I tried for plot, SebaCiel, and drama. Warning: there shall be more drama soon. Be prepared, darlings. 
> 
> *whispers* I also love comments just to let me know what you think of the chapter.


	9. His Master, Cheating

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
“Where did you go after lunch? I saw Claude and Alois sitting behind me and Lizzy, but I expected to see you with them,” I said, glancing over at Sebastian. His lips were pulled in a tight line and I could tell that he was upset the moment I had climbed into his car. I could almost see the reddish glint in his eyes as he stared at the road. “Sebastian?”  
  
“Is it true? Is it true that your shirt ripped during gym when you were playing football?” He growled, glancing over at me before his eyes were directed back to the road. I had felt a sharp pain in my eye for most the the day and I could feel his anger through our connection as his words left his lips.  
  
“No, it's not true,” I said and he slammed his hand into the steering wheel as I squeaked. He didn't say anything and for an unknown reason, I continued speaking. “I was running to change in the bathroom stalls like I usually do just before the bell rings. I ca-don't change around the other boys for a few personal reasons; my eye being one of them since I wear a medical patch for class. I was in such a rush, I didn't feel Alois grab the right sleeve of my shirt and it ripped... Did he...” I couldn't finish my sentence as his gaze snapped over to me as the car was parked outside the loft building.  
  
Before I could even realize it, he was kissing me and I could almost feel his emotions dancing upon my lips; anger, hatred, fear. When he pulled away, the two of us were breathless and I almost wanted to beg for more. Instead, my hand rubbed my right shoulder, feeling the marks that he had left on me last night. I could see a flash of attraction in his eyes before it disappeared and I saw him frown and look away.  
  
“Wh-What did you tell Alois?” I asked him and I could almost see the anger brewing in his eyes once again from the blond's name being mentioned. He didn't dare look at me and changed the subject instead. “So you're taking Elizabeth on a date?”  
  
My eyes drew away from him as I spoke, “Lizzy thinks that we're having an affair and I just want her to stop asking so many questions about us and what we do when we're together. I...I don't know if I have feelings for her like I do you, bu I feel the need to show her some form of affection; she is my girlfriend after all.” Jealously flashed in Sebastian's reddish-brown eyes, but I didn't ask why.  
  
I chewed at my lip as he looked over and informed me, “I cleaned up most of the loft so it should be fine when you come over. I have to work from five to nine and I should be back here by nine-thirty if you get here early. Also, you're free to stay the night, Ciel; I'd prefer to have you sleep beside me anyways.” He gave me a slight smile, the faintest of blushes striking his pale cheeks.  
  
A smile traced my lips and I reached up and kissed Sebastian on the cheek and whispered, “I look forward to seeing you tonight, Sebastian.”  
  
He watched me as I climbed out the car and I blew him a kiss before climbing into the Charger and heading home.  
  
\---  
  
Lizzy and I sat in a nice restaurant where I typically made business deals for Funtom. The two of us sat at a small table, making the occasional conversation as we ate. I watched as she played with the bow on the side of her dress as she took meager bites of the food in front of her.  
  
“I'm amazed you're not spending the night with Sebastian,” Lizzy said, a smirk playing across her pink-tinted lips. She was more than happy to have me with her than working with Sebastian like I was supposed to be.  
  
I took a sip of the water in front of me and said, “I decided to take a night off to spend time with you. I've been neglecting you, Elizabeth; I know that. I hate the fact that you thought I was having an affair with Sebastian, but I'm trying to make it up to you the best way that I can.” A sincere smile played on my lips.  
  
“I'm sorry, Ciel. What I said to you yesterday was completely out of line. When I talked to Alois last night, he explained to me how much he believed what you said was true. I had to believe him; he's my best friend,” she said, her face turning red as she talked about how she acted yesterday.  
  
At the mention of Alois, I began to think about what he asked Sebastian earlier. I hoped that word of my bruises did not make its way to Lizzy; if it did, I'd wring the blond boy's neck.  
  
I smiled slightly and said, “I bought you an apology present,” as I pulled out a long black box with a bright pink bow in the middle. Lizzy stared at me in surprise, but she smiled gratefully, taking it from my hands. When I had told Sebastian that I was going to get her off of my back, I meant it. I went straight to a jewelry store after leaving the loft, buying Lizzy a gift that wouldn't make her think twice about how much I loved her.  
  
She opened up the box to reveal a row of silver pearls sitting upon a pillow of cotton. A long, high-pitched squeal escaped her lips causing other patrons to over at the two of us. The excitement was cut short though when Lizzy knocked over her water, soaking the table and her dress.  
  
I gave her a look of annoyance as she rushed to the restroom and I called over a waiter to clean up the mess that she had made. As he wiped the table, he glanced over at me, “Excuse me for saying this Mr. Phantomhive, but I couldn't help but notice that you and the young lady are polar opposites.”  
  
I chuckled slightly at his words. “I couldn't have put it any better myself.” He glanced up at me and gave me a smile before I said, “Would you bring me the bill; I think the two of us are done here.”  
  
A soft sigh escaped my lips as I glanced in the direction that Lizzy had ran off to. I enjoyed spending time with her, but I hated these little escapades unless we were spending time with another couple. I didn't want to be the dead center of Lizzy's attention out in public for these reasons. There was no doubt that someone would be ridiculing my reputation in a few days.  
  
I shut my eyes, waiting for this disaster to blow over.  
  
\---  
  
Lizzy refused the idea of me driving her home. She was currently in her soaking wet dress, wrapped up in an old jacket that I had thrown in the back of the trunk. I had the feeling that she thought she needed to make up the mistake of accidentally spilling water on herself; Lizzy was peculiar that way.  
  
I pulled up outside the townhouse, killing the car's engine as I said, “Let me walk you home if you won't let me drive you; it's the least that I can do, Lizzy.” Her green eyes watched me carefully, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she leaned over and kissed my lips, the thought of Sebastian creeping through my mind.  
  
I had no idea if I had ever loved Lizzy. Our relationship felt forced from the start and I felt like I had just been dragging her along lately. I had always felt the need to protect her, but was it love even at the slightest?  
  
I kissed her back as she tried to move closer to me, only to the stopped by the middle console. She pulled away, letting out a small huff of annoyance before sighing, “Ciel, can I stay the night with you?” A blush ghosted her cheeks and I stared at her in shock.  
  
“Your mother would forbid it and your father would shoot me if he knew,” I said to her, hoping that my words were enough for her to give up the idea. It had failed to work though.  
  
She gave me a soft peck on the lips, moving to my jaw before she whispered in my ear, “They wouldn't have to know. I could always call and tell them that I'm staying the night with Alois, or maybe Paula.”  
  
I chewed at my lip when she kissed me on the right side of my neck, dangerously close to Sebastian's marks. Even though the lighting in the car was dim, if she went further she'd see the purple bruises on my fair skin.  
  
Annoyed, I pushed her away, saying, “Elizabeth, you can't stay the night. We have school tomorrow and I have records for Funtom that I have to sort out before I go to sleep.” My words were stern and she pursed her lips before climbing out of the car, causing me to scramble after her.  
  
“Please let me walk you home,” I said and she turned to face me, saying, “It's only a couple of blocks away and I'm not going to trouble you with it since you have so much to do.” Her hand reached up to the pearls for a moment before she leaned over and kissed my cheek, whispering, “Goodnight, Ciel.”  
  
I frowned as she walked away, my jacket pulled tightly around her shoulders. I was just making her oblivious to my antics and I knew that if she ever found out, I'd shatter her heart. I stared in silence as she turned at the end of the sidewalk, leaving my sight as a part of me wanting to run and tell her everything that had happened and all that I had been doing.  
  
I couldn't bring myself to do it though. I wouldn't be able to tell her because I'd see those tears in her green eyes, the quiver in her lips, and the way she twists her fingers when she's upset. I couldn't be the cause of those things.  
  
I never wanted to hurt her.  
  
\---  
  
I rested my back against the headboard of Sebastian's bed, a cup of warm tea in my hands. I ran my fingers across the dark red comforter; the one that I had brought over to replace the original. Strangely, it suited the room more than the previous one, but I was just happy that someone was finally making use out of it.  
  
The loft was spotless when I arrived and I knew that Sebastian had probably spent hours cleaning it just for me. I was thankful for the action; I didn't want to have to face the horrific memories for now. I was afraid of what we'd find the more we looked into the case, but it was for the sake of saving, currently, eight missing students.  
  
Sebastian sat at the end of the bed writing his report for Victoria. There was a stack of photographs held together by a paperclip, but I didn't dare look at him; Sebastian would have kept them from me anyways.  
  
I watched as he slipped the pages and photos into the manila folder where our entire case was stored. I had handed it over when I arrived and I was almost positive that Sebastian was going to use it tomorrow to refer back to during his report. He placed it into his bag and I took a small sip of my tea, studying him carefully. He groaned, sitting down beside me, checking his phone, before he started talking about what had happened at work.  
  
I had zoned out sometime during his rambling, just staring down at the lukewarm drink that was in front of me. I tried to pay attention and had heard some of Sebastian's words, but the others were muffled; it was almost like trying to listen to what a person is saying underwater. My mind was focused on nothing until Sebastian snapped his fingers in front of my face.  
  
I jumped, looking over at his worried reddish-brown eyes as he said, “Ciel, are you okay?” I gave him a slight nod, but the look in his eyes didn't fade. That look made my skin crawl because it made me feel weak. It made it look like I had to rely on someone else and I hated the idea of that.  
  
“Are we going to talk about last night?” I asked, quickly changing the subject. The look remained in his eyes only for a moment, fading as he sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat.  
  
“I don't know how to really explain last night, Ciel. I know I got a little bit carried away with your shoulder, but I wanted to prove something,” he said, glancing at me before continuing, “I really feel something for you; I don't lie when I say it.”  
  
My face turned red with his words as I took another sip of my tea. “It's funny actually,” I said, “a few days ago, I swore up and down that I couldn't be attracted to a man. I-I don't know how to feel, but there's something special about you, Sebastian. When I'm around you, my mind flies around in twenty different directions and my heart races... I love every second of it though. I just...” I didn't know how to finish and Sebastian looked away from me.  
  
“Do you have feeling for Elizabeth; do you love her like you tell her you do?”  
  
His words caused me to flinch as I placed my cup on the bedside table, giving me a reason to turn my back to him. “I was thinking about that during dinner. I know that I should, but in the four years that we've been together, I don't believe I've had the slightest taste of love. I'd protect her in a heartbeat, but I don't feel the same way for her as she does me. I don't think I've had the ability to love since the fire.”  
  
The last word caught in my throat and I felt Sebastian's arms wrap around me before he kissed the patch of bare flesh on the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. “It's completely understandable, Ciel. After what happened to you, you have to allow time for your heart to heal. You'll be able to love again someday; I know from experience,” he said, moving away from me and I turned around so we were facing each other once again. I dared to climb into his lap, causing us to be almost chest to chest.  
  
“You were right, you know? There is something between you and I; as I said earlier, you make my heart do somersaults when you're around and that's what I look forward to everyday now,” I said, looking away as my face flushed crimson once again.  
  
Sebastian lifted my chin up so that I would look him in the eyes and placed a small kiss on my forehead. “It's your decision on whether or not you want to stay with Lizzy; I'll stay by your side, even if you stay, Ciel.”  
  
The possibilities and outcomes ran through my mind at his words. If I stayed and there was the chance that I never loved again, then I'd be trapped in something that I may never leave. After the case, Sebastian and I may be close, but not this close; this would be something I'd never get back. If I left, I risked losing Lizzy. We had been friends since we were kids, but if I dumped her, she may abhor me for the rest of our days. If we remained friends, she would hate Sebastian, but she'd accept my happiness. I would be happy with Sebastian... I would be happy.  
  
My eyes met reddish-brown orbs and I gave Sebastian a quick peck on the lips, hugging him tightly. I felt his arms wrap around me and I pressed my face into the side of his neck, taking in the scent of cinnamon and tea. There was a slight burn in my eye, but I didn't know whether that was just me or if it was running through mine and Sebastian's connection.  
  
“It's a double edged sword when it comes to both options and it's going to take me some time to think about it. I want to make sure that I choose the best option because it may lay out the rest of my future,” I whispered against his neck and he nodded his head, his hair brushing against my face. I laughed quietly as it tickled me.  
  
I looked up at him once again, giving him a small, quick kiss on the lips and saying, “We have a long day tomorrow; you have a report to give and I have to face Alois and whatever he has planning against me. We also need to try and find our next lead in the case, since we now have information pointing us in some direction.” I slipped away, climbing off of his lap and sitting on the edge of the bed to pull off my hoodie so I could get changed into what I was going to sleep in.  
  
I sighed, pulling the fabric over my head, feeling it catch my shirt as the cool air hit my pale flesh. As the sweatshirt hit the floor and my shirt slid back down, I felt a hand on my bare skin, just under my right shoulder blade. A single finger traced softly over the skin in a circle before running in two waves, making its final mark straight down the middle.  
  
Sebastian's lips kissed the top of my back, right above the wide neck of my pullover, and whispered against the skin, “What happened to you, Ciel?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I know only a few people are reading this on here, but I have came to the realization that I've made a slight error. Ciel's brand is not two snakes intertwined like I thought so. I happened to be watching Book of Circus again and I glanced at it and saw that it was actually two "lines" intertwined in what looks like a scepter (now that I think about it, I have no freaking idea how to describe it). In the live action Kuroshitsuji movie, the brand is intertwined snakes. 
> 
> In this story, Ciel's brand are two snakes intertwined around the scepter. It's easier to describe and it was my error. I'm attempting to get somewhere with this story. 
> 
> Enjoy.


	10. That Butler, Out of Character

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
I couldn't help but glance over at Ciel when I saw an inch of his pale, bare, flesh. I had to admit that I loved Ciel's skin; it was smooth, unmarred, and amazingly soft. His jacket hitched his shirt higher up and I noticed a dark pink raised mark in the skin.  
  
Before I could stop myself, I reached out and touched the mark. As his shirt slipped down, my hand remained, tracing over the circle, then the two snakes before making it's way down the straight vertical line in the center.  
  
I could almost feel Ciel's shock and I kissed his back, just above his pullover and whispered, “Ciel, what happened to you?” He jerked away from me, standing up, and looking at me with tears in his mismatched eyes. I had found something that I wasn't supposed to know about.  
  
He ran out of the room and I listened as he walked up the stairs and hid in the bathroom. He didn't leave this time in fear of facing me; he just hid away from me, leaving me to soak in my own guilt.  
  
I knew that the brand on his back was the same symbol on the photograph of his family. I had the feeling that it also had something to do with that night at the Devil's Playlist when he showed up at the door, scared for his life.  
  
I ran a hand through my choppy black hair. I wanted to comfort Ciel, but I didn't want to upset him further from what I already had. I bit my lip before slipping off my tight jeans and pulling on a pair of sweats. I tugged my shirt over my head, throwing it to the ground, and pacing around the room.  
  
My body carried me up the stairs before I placed a cigarette between my teeth and lit it. The smoke filled my lungs as I took a drag, inhaling the sweet poison. My grandfather had always told me that I shouldn't smoke, but I had picked the habit up from Joker just after I turned sixteen.  
  
I walked over to the bathroom door, knocking lightly as I heard Ciel sniffling. “Ciel, I'm sorry. I-I had no right in doing what I did. Please open the door for me? I want to make sure that you're okay. You know I care about you, right?” Silence hung in the air and as I turned my heel to walk away, I heard the lock click.  
  
Bringing myself to open the door, I found Ciel sitting in the bathtub with his knees pulled up to his chest. I walked over, taking a seat on the floor as he paid no attention to me. I reached out to run my marked hand through his navy black hair and he moved away from me. It was strange; when he was upset sometimes, he pulled away, but other times, he wanted someone to touch him. Ciel knotted his fingers together and I laid my head on the side of the bathtub before saying, “I'm sorry, Ciel. I didn't mean to just reach out and just... I shouldn't have done that...”  
  
The room was silent between the two of us before broken words spilled from Ciel's lips; they almost seemed forced. “The fire that killed my parents wasn't an accident. T-There is a group, a cult, out there that had something against my family. My parents were k-k-killed, I was captured, and the estate went up in flames. They caged me for days like a wild animal until they placed a hot iron against my skin. I was marked like a piece of property; it haunts to me this day.”  
  
I raised my head to look at him, only to see his eyes staring at the blank wall as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. I wasn't going to ask him how long he was held captive by the cult or what happened while he was there; I knew this matter bothered him severely and I had no idea why he had told me anything. My hand began to sting as he buried his face into his knees, his body trembling. He didn't want me to touch him, but I ignored the command, picking him up and out of the porcelain tub, taking him back downstairs. I was amazed that he didn't protest to my actions, but he just buried his face into my neck and didn't say a single, simple word.  
  
I sat him down on the bed gently before grabbing his bag and rummaging through it, pulling out his oversized, ivory white button up. Handing it to him, I placed a kiss on his forehead before turning around and letting him dress in privacy. His pullover landed beside my feet and I heard the younger male shimming out of his jeans. The thought of Ciel almost completely naked behind me made me almost shudder, but I chased the thoughts away, knowing that he wasn't in the right mind right now.  
  
“Sebastian, you can turn around now,” Ciel said, his words still broken. It almost sounded like there was someone else behind me, not Ciel. I didn't say anything though as I turned around to face the sixteen year old.  
  
Ciel sat there with his shirt half unbuttoned, the sleeve pulled away from his right shoulder, revealing the purple and slightly green bruises. I stood in front of him, beginning to trail my finger from his neck to the end of his shoulder before he pulled away from me. Tears sat in his mismatched eyes before he said, “This can't happen anymore. Alois is on the edge of telling Lizzy and I can't let Lizzy see these while I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do our relationship. I-I don't mind the two of us being close, like the cuddling and kissing, but I don't want anyone to find out about this little affair that we're having just yet...”  
  
I stared down at him and his eyes didn't meet mine. I walked over to him, pushing him onto the bed, and forcing his eyes to look into mine. I couldn't say anything because I was angry. As far as I was concerned, he was mine; those marks proved it. I kissed his lips roughly and he wrapped his arms around my neck, moaning into the kiss. A growl escaped my lips, pulling his body against me. He wrapped his legs around my waist, his lower half moving against mine, making me hard; my body thrust against his to it's own accord. He moaned loudly and I bit into his already bruised shoulder, the slight taste of copper falling into my mouth. I opened my eyes, almost feeling them burning. I knew that they had went into the same state they were last time; the cat-like slits and glowing crimson. I jerked myself away and said, “I need a moment. I just...” My feet carried me out of the room without another word and I could almost feel Ciel's eyes burning into my back.  
  
Another cigarette was between my lips as I stepped outside, my body shaking with the sudden cold. That moment between him and I was completely out of character for me. I had never acted like that when I was with anyone. I mean, yes, I had slept with a limited number of people, but with any of them, there wasn't this possessiveness that I felt now; this hadn't even happened with Joker when I feared losing him. Taking another drag, the burning in my eyes died and I rubbed the back of my hand.  
  
Thirty minutes passed before I went back inside and every light was off in the house. I wandered into the bedroom to find Ciel curled up under the covers on the bed. His breathing was light as his lips held that slight pout. I sighed, crawling into the bed beside him and wrapping an arm around his waist, his back against my chest. I kissed the back of his neck lightly before I noticed the slight crimson patch on the right shoulder of his shirt... I had bit him that hard...  
  
What was wrong with me?  
  
\---  
  
I stood in Victoria's office, my palms sweaty as I was waiting to give my report to her. I was nervous, but I had a theory that Ciel stood here and gave his in pure confidence, then again, he had been solving cases since his freshman year. I was amazed that he had been doing this for Victoria for as long as he had because he gained almost nothing from it. It made me question why he was doing this for her.  
  
The door to the office closed and I heard the click of heels as Victoria walked across the room, taking a seat in her chair. I handed her my handwritten report before saying, “I'm sure Ciel has kept you up to date with the recent kidnappings, but I have information from what happened a couple of nights ago.” I pulled the photos of the loft out of the manila folder and handed them to her.  
  
I watched as she flipped through the photos and said, “This is where you live? I'm sorry this happened; I'm sure it took you quite a while to clean this up.” She sat them down and put her elbows on the table, interlacing her fingers together before saying, “Ciel mentioned something about photographs of both of your families. He wouldn't tell me why he couldn't bring them himself, but I didn't ask questions. I know Ciel quite well and that is why I requested that you bring them; I had a feeling that they upset him.”  
  
I tried to keep from staring at her in shock, but I glanced away, pulling the photos from out of the folder before placing them into her hand. I stared at my father's face for a moment and tried not to cringe; I don't know how much my grandfather had told her about my past, but I hoped that she didn't know the whole story.  
  
Victoria stared at the Polaroid for only a few moments, her fingers running over my grandfather's face for a moment, a sad and longing look in her eyes. I had the feeling that she and my grandfather were together at one point, but I was almost certain that it was a story that I may or may not need to know. Her fingers ran over the singed edges of Ciel's photo and she asked, “The Phantomhive crest is not two snakes, is it?” I shook my head and she sighed, “I didn't think so... Do you know what exactly this emblem means?”  
  
My heart stopped as her silvery blue eyes watched me. Last night I had found out what the symbol was, but there was the debate of whether or not I should tell her. I didn't want her harassing Ciel about it, but at the same time I didn't want to give out his secret or allow others to see him as weak. I stared at her and shook my head, “No ma'am, neither I nor Ciel know. We're looking into it though and will inform you when we find out; if we ever do.”  
  
She nodded her and glanced away from me. “I'm worried about her; Lydia, I mean. She's been in my care since her parents and her brother moved out of town. She wanted to finish school here since she only had a year left. I hate the idea that she's out there with people who are doing who the hell knows what; excuse my language.” Her voice cracked with her apology and tears sat in her eyes as I held concern for my older woman.  
  
“I don't know Lydia that well, but she knows how to defend herself if need be. Lydia is a brave, smart girl and excuse me for saying this, but she knows how to kick ass. She's a Victoria and with you being her grandmother, I'm sure that you've taught her well,” I said as she stared up at me with wide eyes. For a moment, I thought that I had said something out of line, but she gave a soft, kind-hearted smile.  
  
“Diablo also taught you well,” she said softly, “I've seen so much of him in you and if your grandfather was still around Sebastian, he'd be proud of you.” I felt my face turn red as I quietly muttered out a small thank you.  
  
She nodded her head and said, “You're dismissed. I'll keep in touch with you and Ciel, Mr. Michaelis.” Her eyes watched me carefully as I put away the folder and the photographs. I slung my guitar and bag over my shoulder and gave her a small nod, announcing my departure without speaking.  
  
Instead of going to class, my feet carried me to my car. I opened the passenger side door, sliding sideways into the seat and pulled my cigarettes out of my jacket pocket. I place one between my teeth before lighting it. Wisps of smoke blew through the wind as I shut my eyes, my thoughts running a million miles in just a minute.  
  
I had no idea how well Victoria had known my grandfather or what she knew about me. I didn't know where Ciel and I were going to end up, or what he was going to do about Elizabeth. I barely knew what Alois had planned to do with the information about mine and Ciel's affair. I also didn't know what happened to me last night or what was happening with me at all.  
  
My worries blew away with the smoke and I just shut my eyes and sighed, hoping for the very best.  
  
\---  
  
I stepped out the shower, wrapping a black towel around my waist. The entire bathroom was filled with steam and I ran a hand over the fogged mirror, revealing my pale face and reddish-brown eyes. My marked hand ran through my hair and only for a moment as I felt the tetragrammaton sting, but I had a feeling that the pain was coming from me.  
  
The entire day had been a strange experience. I hadn't seen Ciel the entire day, but every time I was around Alois and Claude, I was furious for no apparent reason. After trying to avoid the two, I began to think that I had scared Ciel last night. He hadn't spoken much to me on the ride over to school and I usually saw him after lunch. It was almost as if he was trying to avoid me.  
  
I shook my head as if it was going to make the thoughts go away before leaving the bathroom. Grabbing the half empty beer off of the table, I took a swig of it and lit another cigarette. I had already went through a pack and it seemed like I was going to be emptying another. I picked my cell phone up off the table as a puff of smoke left my lips, noticing that I had two missed calls from Joker. Without a single thought, I dialed his number, wondering what he wanted.  
  
“Hey, what's up?” I said as soon as he picked up. For a long moment, the line was silent and as I grew concerned, I asked, “Joker? Are you there?”  
  
The silence continued before he finally spoke, his voice as cold as ice, “ _I'm here, Sebastian. I'm here and I'm not happy with you; I'm pissed, to be truthful._ ” I had never heard him talk so quietly, so coldly.  
  
“What have I done?” I asked him, trying to remain calm, even though I felt my temperature rising as my anger grew from his unexplained words.  
  
His voice raised with my question and I could almost hear him clench his teeth. “ _How about I make a list? One, you no longer talk to me unless I contact you first. Two, you pissed off my girlfriend. Three, you shoved me away at the party because I was drunk and brought up the past. Four, you didn't even give a single shit when Grelle disappeared. Finally, five, you've abandoned your friends to hang around with that short, one-eyed, Phantomhive bitch!_ ” He snarled Ciel's last name and I felt my hand burn so hot that it hurt. He know nothing about what I've been doing and he knew nothing about Ciel.  
  
“Would you like me to point out your flaws, Joker? Would you like me to bring up the fact that you took my fucking virginity and then left me? I was fifteen and I fucking loved you and you broke my motherfucking heart. How about we also touch on the fact that you were the one grinding into my ass and calling Beast a bitch; I don't care if you were drunk, I know you're playing her heart like you did mine.” My voice seethed with rage and I could feel my eyes burning in my fury.  
  
“ _Go fuck yourself, Sebastian,_ ” he growled and the call ended as he hung up on me. I almost threw the phone against the concrete wall until I felt it vibrate in my hand; one text message flashed across the screen.  
  
Ciel:  _Sebastian, are you okay? My eye is killing me here and you've been acting strange since last night._  
  
I felt guilty as I read the message over and over. I sat down the phone, running my fingers across the marking and feeling the burn slowly die. That entire call made me forget about our connection, but ironically, my rage was released when Joker brought up Ciel.  
  
Grabbing my phone, I texted Ciel an apology before walking downstairs to get dressed. After last night, I knew that Ciel and I weren't going to be staying together tonight. I was still questioning what happened, but then again, he was the one that told me that I couldn't leave my possessive marks on him anymore. He had been so vulnerable and I had taken advantage of that moment. I felt sick just thinking about it. I sighed, running my fingers over the crimson blanket, knowing that I would be spending another night alone in the loft because it was for the best.  
  
As I pulled my shirt over my head, my phone vibrated on the bedside table. I picked it up, checking the message.  
  
Ciel:  _Hey, it's fine. Can you be ready and out the door within ten minutes. I'm sitting outside your loft right now._  
  
I stared at the message in surprise, slightly questioning what he had planned. It was a little past nine and I thought that I wasn't going to be seeing him tonight. I rolled my eyes, grabbing my wallet, keys, and leather jacket before heading out the door, glancing down to see the blue Charger parked on the curb.  
  
My feet carried me down the stairs before I climbed into the passenger seat. Ciel was playing on his phone and jumped when I dropped into the seat. “What have you been plotting?”  
  
A small smirk spread across his lips as he glanced over at me with that one blue eye and said, “I'm going to take you out to dinner. I thought that we needed to talk about that little... mishap last night, but I also wanted to spend some time with you. I hope you haven't already ate.” His face turned red with his pause and I was a little proud that he had stepped up to the plate and made one of the first moves.  
  
“So this is a date?” I asked, a smirk on my lips and he gave me that slight half-smile. I had noticed that he never gave a perfect, full smile. For the moment though, that didn't matter. “You could call it that; our first date?”  
  
I could see a bandage peeking out from the side of his wide-neck pullover and I almost cringed as I thought about last night. I was afraid that I'd do that again, but I just sighed softly and gave him a smile. I placed my hand on top of his before I said, “Lead the way,  _domine mi_.”  
  
I chuckled as a blush flushed his entire face red because he wasn't the only one who knew Latin; I had taken three years of it. He just gave me a slight smile, starting the car and driving down the road.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you wondering, the Latin in the end translates to "my lord".
> 
> Besides that, I tried to do something different with this chapter. I've noticed that my version of the characters aren't exactly holding their canon personalities. That wasn't the direction I was trying to go for. This is why in this chapter, I've been trying to place Sebastian in his more demonic side; this is why it's confusing to him because of the fact that it wasn't his original personality in the story. I also gave a mention to Ciel's half-smile; this is the beginning of his canon personality, but this story shall still hold his loving side, making this still a SebaCiel.
> 
> I'm going to pull a little bit more plot into this story so be expecting that soon. Also, I wanted to mention that I typically write my chapters in a notebook... Well, the entire first section of this story didn't follow what was written at all; thought I'd give you guys some dirty, dirty, confusing SebaCiel.
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Bookmark/Enjoy  
> That was a mouthful and a whole lot more slashes that I put on my Mibba and DeviantART posts, but I hope you guys like this chapter. 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive <3


	11. His Master, Heartless

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
I sat in the car waiting for Sebastian to text me back. My eye had stung the entire drive over to West side and I knew that something was going on with the older male. As I rubbed the white bandage on my shoulder, I remembered the reason why I had came over; I was going to take Sebastian out to dinner. I had multiple reasons for doing this, but the two main ones were to discuss where to take the case next and what exactly happened the previous night. I sighed as the images flashed through my mind like an old film reel.  
  
_“...but I don't want anyone to find out about this little affair just yet ,” I was refraining from letting the tears slip down my cheeks as my words were broken. The two of us had no idea what Alois had plotting. My eyes didn't dare meet Sebastian's and I stared down at the white, wooden floor. I didn't want to force him away, but I didn't have much of a choice._  
  
_He pushed me down on the bed before looming over me. I stared up at his reddish-brown eyes and I saw the lust, the anger, and the slightest hint of something else that I couldn't exactly put my finger on. His lips were pressed roughly against mine before I wrapped my arms around his neck and moaned loudly. He growled, causing me to shudder; he pulled my body against his as the two of us were hanging off the edge of the bed. I wrapped my legs around his waist and he thrust against me, the action almost making me lose my mind. A loud moan escaped my lips when the kiss ended abruptly and I felt his hot breath against my neck. His lips were on my sensitive, bruised shoulder and as I squirmed under him, pleasure running through my mind, he sank his teeth into my shoulder. Quickly, he jerked away as if I had suddenly became something ghastly and stared at me with those fading crimson eyes._  
  
_“I need a moment. I just...” He said, leaving his sentence unfinished as he walked out of the room, his steps almost rushed. I knew he could feel my eyes burning into his back._  
  
_I let out an audible sigh as I noticed the tent in my boxers. It didn't take much for Sebastian to turn me on, but I hated being stuck with the consequences of his actions. I tried to relay repulsive thoughts in my mind to get rid of my obvious boner when felt something wet trail down my shoulder. At an instant, I peeled back my right sleeve only to see blood weeping out of the bite that Sebastian had given me earlier._  
  
_My feet carried me upstairs to take care of the wound, slightly annoyed that I'd have to give up my pullovers for a few days to keep Lizzy from asking more questions. A hiss escaped my lips as I held a wet cloth to my shoulder, trying to clean up some of the blood. I was certain that Sebastian knew how to control himself, but what had caused this? I placed a white gauze bandage over the mark and stared at my bi-colored eyes in the mirror. Something had triggered Sebastian's actions; I was almost sure of it._  
  
_I shut off the light in the kitchen, wandering downstairs in the dark before going back to the bedroom. Sebastian still hadn't returned so I crawled into bed knowing that I needed to sleep to chase away the memories of the past and the fact that I'd have to deal with a slightly pissed Lizzy in the morning. I shut off the lamp on the bedside table, putting the entire loft in darkness before I fell asleep._  
  
I jumped, pulling myself out of my thoughts, when Sebastian dropped down into the seat next to me. He had a smirk on his lips as he said, “What do you have planned?” A small smile fell upon my lips as I said, “I'm going to take you out to dinner. I thought we needed to talk about that little... mishap last night.”  
  
“So this is a date?” My face flushed crimson with his words as I said softly, “You could call it that; our first date?”  
  
His eyes didn't meet mine as he placed his hand on top of mine, giving it a light squeeze. “Lead the way,  _domine mi_.”  
  
With those words, my face turned red once more and I had the feeling that Sebastian knew more Latin than I had originally thought.  
  
\---  
  
I didn't take Sebastian to a high dollar restaurant like I had with Lizzy. Sebastian wasn't my girlfriend who had higher expectations than a normal man could achieve. Instead, the two of us sat in a Chinese restaurant right next to where West and East Side merged. Sebastian was loudly slurping his noodles while I picked at my chicken. When I came here typically, I devoured anything on my plate, but tonight was different for some reason.  
  
“I think I know where we should take the case next,” I said and Sebastian glanced up at me, waiting for me to continue, “We need to pay attention to the city. I know how the cul-group works. The two of us could watch for sparking activity and follow it.” Sebastian's eyebrows knit in concern at my stutter as he put down his chopsticks. From the look in his reddish-brown eyes I knew he was about to object; I stopped him though. “Sebastian, I'll be fine. We're working on a case that has my past linked to it somehow. I'm going to have to get over it eventually, why not face it now?”  
  
My mind relayed my words over and over. Even though there was so much pain and trauma that my past had caused me, I didn't want to get over it. All of it had been the only thing that kept me going after my parents' death, after Madam Red's death. I hadn't had time to mourn after my aunt's death like I had my parents. Right before I turned fifteen, the reigns of Funtom had been given to me and I had to hold my head high for the crowd.  
  
“Ciel, what's wrong?” Sebastian asked and I just shook my head, “I'm just thinking about the case. Oh, um, about last night,” I was changing the subject, “w-was there something that caused all of that?” I chewed on my lip and rubbed my bandaged shoulder without noticing it. I had no idea why I had chosen to wear a pullover, knowing that it was on display.  
  
“Blame it on teenage hormones. I do have to point out that there's something different with our exchange than any actual relationship that I've ever had,” Sebastian said and I shivered at the word. Technically, to the public eye, Sebastian and I were simply acquaintances. What we were now, I had no idea what to call it.  
  
Sebastian nudged my knee gently with his hand and I interlaced our fingers under the table. For some reason, it was important to me that no one saw the action. I felt like a part of it would look bad on my reputation and I also didn't want to get caught by anyone who happened to know that I had a girlfriend. How scandalous would it be if the one and only Ciel Phantomhive was caught holding hands with another boy?  
  
I chuckled at the thought and Sebastian squeezed my hand lightly to get my attention, a warming burn flow through my marked eye. As I lifted my free hand up to touch my eye patch, I saw Sebastian's eyes flash crimson for no more than ten seconds before turning back to normal. The sight scared me, as I was concerned about people seeing it in public, but I tried to shake away the fright as our waitress approached us with the check. The warmth of Sebastian's hand left mine moments later and I felt like I had lost something precious to me.  
  
The entire way back to the loft though, he held my hand as the glow of my violet eye reflected off of the windshield.  
  
\---  
  
My lips were pulled in a tight line as Lizzy and I stood outside of her third period class. I hadn't spoken much during lunch and I knew that she had taken note of it from the way that she was watching me. That didn't matter though; I just wanted to be working on the case and spending time with Sebastian right now.  
  
“Did you get any sleep last night, Ciel?” Lizzy asked, her fingers reaching up to her pearls as if it had became a nervous habit of hers.  
  
Though I hadn't slept as well as I had been these past few nights, I still got in at least four hours without any nightmares. “I slept as much as I usually do, Lizzy,” I said, the lie slipping easily between my teeth. Everything I said to her was just beginning to turn into a mass of lies.  
  
She frowned, wrapping her arms around me and hugging me tightly. When she pulled away, she pecked my cheek and whispered, “You should smile more often, Ciel.” I gave her a half-smile, just so she'd be convinced but instead, she sighed in defeat before walking into her class.  
  
Two hallways over was my third period; English. I had to say that I loved the class, but there was only one downside; a certain blond named Alois Trancy. The moment I sat down and pulled a novel out of my bag, the teal-eyed boy was barking at my heels. “Why are you wearing a jacket? Today is the warmest that it's been in three months.”  
  
I didn't even glance up from my book as I said, “I think it's cold still and is it any of your business what I wear? Not all of us enjoy parading around in high-heel boots, thigh highs, and booty shorts.” My uncovered left eye glanced up at him as he frowned, “You spent last night with Sebastian, didn't you, Phantomhive?”  
  
Even though I didn't, I growled, “Leave me the fuck alone, Trancy.”  
  
A coy smile spread across his lips. “I must have been correct if I struck a nerve of yours, Ciel. Tell me, is he any good in bed; he told me he fucked Claude once and he won't give me any details.”  
  
I snapped my book shut with a small slam and before I could even comprehend what was going on, Alois was clutching a reddening cheek, and my book toppled to the floor as Ms. Hopkins jerked me up from my seat.  
  
The classroom door slammed shut behind us as she released my arm from her grip. “You know well Ciel that I give Wednesdays to students to  **read**  books, not beat their peers with them. I hope you have an explanation for your actions,” she said, folding her arms across her chest.  
  
Her brown eyes glared down at me as I said, “He doesn't know when to hold his tongue when he should. Alois deserved it for being a nuisance.” I ran my hand through my navy black hair, stopping when I felt the knot tied behind my head loosen.  
  
She shook her head and sighed. “If you were a normal student Ciel, I'd send you right to Victoria's office and have her punish you. I know that you have a standing with Victoria though and you need to be punished for this with more than a slap on the wrist. I'm going to give you something more suitable to you; there's a sonnet by Shakespeare, sonnet 132 in fact, that I want you to learn and recite to me by the end of the week. I know your love for classic literature and I'm sure you'll enjoy this little project quite well.” A smirk was on her lips and I had to refrain from growling at her in annoyance.  
  
Ms. Hopkins stepped back into the class, telling me that I could have time to cool down. I laid back against a set of royal blue lockers, sighing and staring up at the clock on the wall. Not only I would be learning a lesson, but so would Alois. He knew not to stick his nose into business that wasn't his and that's why he took a four hundred paged novel to the face.  
  
I just hoped that it'd be enough to keep him off of mine and Sebastian's backs.  
  
\---  
  
After school, I was “helping” Lizzy with her homework for Chemistry. She never enjoyed lab reports and she wanted an excuse to spend part of the afternoon with me. As she was penning her conclusion in her bubbly, cursive handwriting, I was rummaging in the fridge for the strawberry cheesecake that I had brought home last night. When I found it, I cut off two slices before carrying them into the living room, almost tripping in the process.  
  
Lizzy sat down her notebook as she took her plate and fork from me, plucking the strawberry off the top of the slice. She popped it into her mouth and said, “I love chemistry, but I'd much prefer to go back to taking biology. Science is the only subject I enjoy because we don't have anything pertaining to fencing or clothing design.”  
  
I didn't respond to what she said and paid little attention to anything going on around me until I sat my crumb-free plate down and saw Lizzy playing with the lace mesh sticking out of the skirt of her pale pink dress. She laid her fork across her plate and sat it beside mine on the coffee table. There was an awkward aura in the air as the two of us sat in silence, but I feared breaking it. If the two of us struck up a conversation, I had no idea where it would lead.  
  
To my disadvantage, Lizzy shattered it. “Speaking of school, how are you enjoying your business classes, Ciel?” She had a curious expression in her jade eyes as she curled a blonde strand around her finger.  
  
“Boring; I was expecting it to help me learn how to help Funtom have higher sales, but instead I'm just going over things that I already know. I hate the fact that the teachers always make an example of me also; who in this city doesn't know that I'm Ciel fucking Phantomhive because I would love to be best friends with them.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest, placing my feet on top of the glass coffee table, annoyed.  
  
“I'm sure you must be getting a lot of business with Funtom anyways since Easter is coming up in a couple of weeks. Every store that I've passed has one of the rabbits or sweets in the window; once again, the Bitter Rabbit seems to be the most popular with the crowd,” she said, knowing that talking about Funtom would cause me to converse with her.  
  
“The rabbit is a gift and curse, but it's one of our top sellers. My biggest fear right now is running out of stock before the holiday. My father started this tradition that every factory worker received two weeks off around every holiday so that they could spend time with their families. Tanaka did the same when he took over until I became the CEO and he stepped a level down. There was plans for him to be the company's head until I turned eighteen, but he handed the company over to me after Madam Red's death, telling me that Funtom belonged in a Phantomhive's hands. I don't know where I'd be with Tanaka; he's the only piece of family that I have left.” My eye didn't meet hers for a moment as she stared at me in concern.  
  
“You've never sold out before; what makes you think you will this year?” She asked me, walking over and sitting down beside me on the loveseat, her fingers curling around mine. “You said that you've noticed the rabbits in store windows. Those particular rabbits are only displays that we sent to each one to show off the product. This year, I came up with the idea of making a limited edition Bitter Rabbit. Out of the ten factories around the world, there's only five hundred being made. Though not all countries celebrate the holiday, the rabbit is still a collectors' item and will be sought out by anyone who's interested. Every rabbit that's been made as of late, has been packed into identical, windowless boxes and shipped to their destinations. No one can tell which rabbit is which, making it a surprise to whoever buys one.” A smirk sat on my lips as I knew that people would be racing to see if they were a lucky winner of the limited rabbit.  
  
Lizzy rolled her eyes and sighed, “You really know how to drive the customers, Ciel,” she paused for a moment before continuing, “Speaking of Easter, would you be willing to attend Mass with me and my family? Edward is coming home for spring break and it just wouldn't be right without you. I don't want you to spend the holiday alone.” She looked at me with those sympathetic eyes and I chewed at my lip. Even though Lizzy wanted me to spend time with her and her family at church, it didn't feel right with me going. I wasn't religious and I hadn't been in almost a year. The only thing that I'd really be willing to do is to attend dinner with her and maybe spending time afterwards.  
  
Before I could answer, my phone rang in my pocket and I unlocked it without glancing at the name. “Ciel Phantomhive, speaking,” I said, my voice filled with authority. I was expecting someone from the factory wanting me, but instead I heard a sultry, familiar chuckle on the other end of the line.  
  
“ _So, so authoritative, Ciel; I like that in a man_ ,” Sebastian said and my face turned red and I tried my best to hide it from Lizzy. I had no idea if she was looking at me right now since my blind eye was turned towards her. “What is it that you want?”  
  
I let out a sigh and I felt my blonde girlfriend squeeze my hand as if she was trying to get my attention; I didn't glance her way as Sebastian whined, “ _I'm lonely and hungry. I have to work for a little over three more hours and Saleos is sick. It'd be really nice if you'd visit me and possibly bring some food_.”  
  
I rolled my eye and I felt my hand being squeezed once again. I glanced over at her for a moment before turning back away. “Where do you want something from?”  
  
“ _You pick since you're going to be stuck with me. I'm not picky before you even protest. Also, pack a bag because I need to talk to you about something I noticed today that I'm sure you'll find interesting. To admit it, I don't want to spend another night alone either_ ,” he said and I could almost see the coy smile curling across his lips. He knew that I wanted to stay another night. I was lonely last night though. I sat up in my room as soon as I got home playing chess and stuffing my face with three slices of cheesecake.  
  
“I'm fine with that as long as I'm allowed to bring my suitcase of sweets with me,” I said and I glanced over at Lizzy, who was staring at me in confusion. I gave her that slight half-smile and she just frowned. “ _I'll be looking forward to seeing you,_ amica mea.”  
  
With those words, our called ended and I locked the phone once again. Finally I moved myself so I could look directly at Lizzy. I had fussed at her before for sitting in my blind spot before, but she still did it anyways. Her eyebrows were knitted in annoyance as she said, “If that was Sebastian on the phone and you're leaving to spend time with him, then I'm going to keep you here.”  
  
I sighed, pulling my hoodie over my head, trying to keep my thin, wide-neck pullover from sliding up my back like it did the other night; for now, Sebastian was only going to know my few secrets. “Lizzy, that project that Sebastian and I are working on is very important and we need to finish it as soon as we possibly can. I know you don't want us spending so much time together, but it can't be helped,” I said, my voice holding a twinge of annoyance to match hers.  
  
As I went to stand up, Lizzy grabbed my sleeve, stopping me in my place as the fabric slid down my shoulder, revealing the white gauze that wrapped from my collarbone to the edge of my shoulder. I was lucky that I had covered all of the bruised skin when I wrapped up Sebastian's bite; this situation could have been so much worse if I hadn't.  
  
Lizzy jumped up, standing beside me, her fingers brushing over the bandage as I felt her finger peel up the side slightly as if she was going to look at the injury. I violently tore away from her grip on my wrist and turned around before yelling, “Don't touch me!”  
  
Don't touch me; three simple words that so many people have been told with the exception of Lizzy. Every time that she had touched me and I didn't feel comfortable, I always flinched. I had never told her to stop or to not touch me. I've always treated her with respect when it came to these things and this wasn't like me at all.  
  
I felt no remorse though. She needed to be put in her place for once because I was no kitten that needed to be coddled. I was her boyfriend, I was the head of a successful company, I was the watchdog to the queen, I was the last of the Phantomhive name. I wanted to protect her and tell her that I didn't mean to yell, but this force, this feeling was holding me back.  
  
Tears welled up in her eyes as she stepped away from me. Her lip quivered as she squeaked out, “I-I-I'm just, I'm just going to leave for now.” She picked up her bags from the floor and as I saw the tears fall down her pale cheeks, the unsympathetic Ciel dissolved.  
  
I reached out to stop her, but she slipped out of my grasp. “Wait... Lizzy!” My shout was unheard though, as the door slammed, deafening my words. I watched her go by the window, trying to hold her head high even though tears and makeup were streaking across her cheeks.  
  
I kicked the chair in frustration before ripping off my eye patch and throwing it on the floor; the gauze joining it only moments later. I loved the pain that shot through the bruised skin as I ran my fingers over the markings. Was I sick? Did Sebastian put me out of a sane state of mind? My back pressed against the white wall before sliding down onto the wood floor. I haven't felt like this in years; not since Madam Red put me through counseling after my parents died...  
  
What was wrong with me? What had triggered the Ciel that I've been suppressing for years?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a little iffy about this chapter. Some parts of it I like while others I don't. I wanted to do something much longer with the scene with Alois in it, but I just couldn't find any other way to extend it; that little bit at the end was an extension. I have a couple of things I want to touch on...
> 
> 1\. I repeated the moment between Ciel and Sebastian because I wanted to show Ciel's point of view in the situation.  
> 2\. Any type of food I ever write into a story is something that I've been craving. Much like Ciel, I have a thing for sweets.  
> 3\. I will not place sonnet 132 in this chapter, but it will be in another chapter. I found it suiting the story slightly and I shall explain my reasoning when I actually get to that chapter.  
> 4\. I feel bad for Lizzy. She's completely clueless on what's going on and I just want to hug her and tell her that everything will be okay. Eventually, I'll fix everything for her; I need her quite a bit for now.  
> 5\. The end where Ciel and Lizzy were talking about Funtom was improvised; I didn't know what to do and I got the idea about the special rabbits from this upcoming Easter.
> 
> Besides that, I don't have anything else really to say. Like I said, I don't really know what to think about this chapter, but as I mentioned in the last one, I'm recycling the character personalities because the way they are now is not what I had planned.
> 
> I'll get to something good next chapter. ;)


	12. That Lady, Ending

-Elizabeth's Point of View-  
  
The moment I arrived home, I went upstairs to my room to lay across my pink, plush bed. My cell phone laid beside me as I hoped that Ciel would text me, apologizing for what had happened. Instead, I lay in utter silence, my customized Bitter Rabbit held tightly in my arms; my face nuzzled between the soft, silk-lined ears.  
  
In just a week, Ciel and I had been drifting apart like two ships lost at sea. After that one fateful day at lunch, he had been spending almost all of his time with Sebastian. It used to be that we'd spend every afternoon together, eating sweets, drinking tea, and just enjoying each others company.  
  
I unlocked my phone, scrolling through the contacts until I found one that was named The Prince of Spiders. My eyes rolled at the name before I dialed the number, placing it on speakerphone, and sitting it in front of me. Shutting my eyes, I took a deep breath and ran my fingers through the rabbit's ears until I heard the click of my call being answered. “ _Lizzy, how are you doing this evening?_ ”  
  
“Alois, I need someone to talk to,” I said softly, idly playing with the stuffed animal's eye patch as if it would reveal the rabbit's other eye. I always wondered why Ciel had chose to model the Bitter Rabbit after himself, but I suppose it didn't matter since they were so popular.  
  
“ _What's the matter, babe?_ ” Alois asked, his voice filled with concern for me. Ever since we were toddlers, we've had each others backs. Our parents used to joke when we were younger that we going to get married someday, but when Alois came out to his parents when he was a freshmen, the joke disappeared altogether.  
  
“I went to Ciel's this afternoon and he was agitated over nothing. It was almost like the littlest things could set him off. We were having our first real conversation in a week when Sebastian called so that they could go work on that stupid project. I tried to stop him from leaving and I saw a large white bandage covering almost all of his shoulder. I-I tried to look at it, but he just jerked away from me and yelled. I left and... he didn't even try to stop me.” Tears threatened to fall once again. Something was wrong with Ciel; he never yelled at me.  
  
Alois sat on the other end of the line and I had the feeling that he was trying to hold his tongue. It was almost like he didn't want to tell me something; something I probably needed to know.  
  
“ _Lizzy, can I come over?_ ” A small squeak held his voice as he spoke and I could tell he was trying his best to hide this information from me.  
  
“Yeah, you can stay the night if you want to; Mom won't mind.” In my gut, I knew that he was holding something back from me.  
  
“ _I-I'll be over in an hour._ ”  
  
The call ended with those final words and I sighed, hugging my rabbit tight to my chest before letting go. I climbed off of the bed and decided that something sweet would cheer me up and end this sinking feeling in my gut.  
  
The stairs creaked as I walked down them and I heard the front door shut. My mother was standing in the foyer, sitting down her briefcase, and slipping off her black heels. Ever since I was young, my mom worked long hours as a defense attorney. My father was the one who spent most evenings with Edward and I; he gave fencing lessons throughout the day and had quite a bit of time to kill.  
  
I didn't say anything to my mother as I passed her on the way to the kitchen. I was on my way to grab one of the caramel lollies that Ciel gave me everyday before lunch and nothing was going to stop me. I plucked it out of the glass jar beside the fridge before sitting down at the kitchen table, pulling off the ribbon and unwrapping the candy.  
  
Mother walked into the room just moments later, grabbing one of the lollipops for herself before leaning against the island. Her hair was still pulled in its tight bun as I noticed the slight silver hairs sneaking into the blond. I sighed softly and she looked at me with her striking jade eyes before asking, “How was school, Elizabeth?”  
  
I broke the caramel candy off of the stick before saying, “The usual. I'm ahead of my studies in history and chemistry. I'm also one of the students planning the spring trip for the science club.” Mother had always told me that academics should be my main focus throughout school. It was the only way that someone could survive in this day and age. Her words were the main reason why I was an overachiever and why my brother was in his third year of college, aiming for his doctorate.  
  
As my mother watched me carefully, I saw her eyebrows knit in concern. I knew that she was worried about me because these past few days I hadn't been my usually cheerful self. Ciel's attitude had been affecting mine and the fear of him cheating continued to loom over me. I didn't want to lose Ciel; I loved him.  
  
“Elizabeth?” Mother asked as I stood up, tossing the wrapper and stick in the trash. I twisted the ribbon around in my hand, staring down at the floor as I mumbled, “Alois is staying the night again. I'm sorry I invited him over without yours or father's permission.” I could feel her jade eyes burning into me.  
  
I wanted to walk away and go back to my room, but I was frozen in place as she said, “What did he do to you?” Mother had always been wary of Ciel once she found out that he was the late Vincent Phantomhive's son. She had always told me that Vincent was a troublemaker in high school and she had expected the same out of Ciel.  
  
I walked to the doorway, ignoring her words before I stopped in my place saying, “He did nothing to me. I'm fine, Mother. It's been a long day and I won't stay up for very long after Alois arrives.”  
  
“Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia-”  
  
“Goodnight, Mother,” I cut her off, walking back upstairs, knowing that I'd have to deal with her in the morning.  
  
\---  
  
My legs were crossed as I sat across from Alois on the floor. A thin, stiff paintbrush was in my hand as I dipped it into the black nail polish that sat in front of me. With Alois' hand in mine, I began painting the fourth and final set of spiderwebs on his freshly-painted, crimson nails. His love for spiders came from tracing his family history back to the 1800s. He had found out that the Trancy family crest was a spider. Since then, he's been obsessed with the arachnids.  
  
My eyes found his face for a moment as I stared at the black bruise that stained his left cheek. I knew that something had happened during the school day because the flaw hadn't been there this morning.  
  
“What happened?” I asked him, concern soaking my voice.  
  
Someone had did this to him and I wanted to know who I'd have to take my sword to.  
  
Alois' teal eyes met mine as I finished the last of the web. He reached up to touch the deep purple mark for a moment before a sigh escaped his thin lips. His hand jerked away before he changed the subject.  
  
“Did you want to go shopping for prom next weekend? I know the dance isn't until May, but we should get an early start if we're going to get the perfect outfits.”  
  
“I'd be fine with that, but Al-”  
  
“I'm thinking of going in purple or green. I can't decide which suits Claude more. I'm thinking purple, but I'll have to ask what he thinks,” he continued on, a small smile tracing his lips.  
  
“Alois...”  
  
“Ciel would look amazing in a sky blue. He wears navy typically, but the light blue would make his eye look even more vibrant. He should go shopping with Claude as long as he's not busy with...” he didn't finish his sentence, but we both knew whose name he was going to say.  
  
His eyes seemed unfocused before he looked dead-straight at me, opening his mouth to say something, but shutting it as if he had decided not to. It was only a moment later when he opened his mouth again and spoke quietly, “I found out something interesting about Claude the other day. Him and Sebastian have been close since they were in junior high. Just a month before the two of us started dating, the two of them were fuck buddies and Claude let Sebastian have his way with him.” He licked his dry lips, a glimpse of the orange and gold tongue ring coming into view for only a moment.  
  
“Do you think they're still...?” I said, realizing that Sebastian seemed to have a foot in both mine and Alois' relationships.  
  
Alois' lip quivered as if he was about to cry. His teal eyes met mine and he looked scared as he hugged himself tightly. “Lizzy, I don't even know how to put it into words what I have to tell you.”  
  
“Then just say it. I promise that I'll still love you, darling,” I said, reaching over and wrapping my arms around the younger male. He nuzzled his face into my neck as he whispered, “I love you too, Lizzy. You're like the sister I never had.”  
  
“I know, darling,” I whispered into his blond hair before he pulled away from me, holding my hands in his.  
  
“I know for a fact that Sebastian and Claude aren't sleeping together because...” he sighed before continuing, “The other day in gym, Ciel's shirt accidentally ripped and his entire shoulder was covered in bruises. He's been spending every night at Sebastian's place and a couple of nights, Sebastian has been at Ciel's house. They have been working on something together, but not all of the time has been spent on that project. I was being an asshole during English and I asked Ciel if Sebastian was any good in bed; he reacted by backhanded me with a four-hundred-some page book,” he paused once again, chewing at his lip, “Lizzy I hate to share this with you... but I'm almost positive that there's something going on between Ciel and Sebastian...”  
  
Tears were in my eyes as my entire body felt like I had been pumped full of novocaine. My heart was pounding so heavy that I could almost hear it in my ears. I couldn't feel the tears falling down my face, my lungs screaming for air, Alois squeezing my hands until I'm sure my fingers turned blue. I gasped for air as I sobbed and he pulled me close.  
  
“Lizzy, it's okay. He's not worth it. You're beautiful and I'm sure that you'll find someone else who is ten times better than him,” he whispered into my hair as I shook. My fingers were knotted in his loose-fitting shirt as I cried out, “I don't want anyone else. I love him!”  
  
Ciel didn't love me like I loved him; he never did.  
  
Why wasn't I good enough for him? Why wasn't I Sebastian?”  
  
\---  
  
Ciel:  _Lizzy, I need you to come to my house. We need to talk about something._  
  
It was the first message that I had woke up to. Alois lay beside me in the bed, his arm wrapped around my waist as he chest was pressed against my back. We had fallen asleep cuddled with one another last night because I didn't want to feel alone. I knew that he was worried about me, but if he was in my situation, I would be too.  
  
As he was getting ready for school, I sat on the bed in a black tank-top and a pair of blue, fuzzy pajama pants. He looked at me with worry in his teal eyes as he hoisted his bookbag over his shoulder and asked, “Are you sure that you're going to be alright seeing him alone?”  
  
I nodded my head and whispered softly, “I need to know what he wants to talk about. If it's not about... well, you know, then I'm going to bring it up. I want to stay with him, but I don't want to hold him in something that he's not faithful to.” I held my rabbit tight to my chest, my fingers playing with the silver pearls that hung around my neck.  
  
“If you need me, for absolutely anything Elizabeth, I have my cell phone on me. I will be over here in a heartbeat if I need to be,” he said, sitting beside me. I wrapped my arms around the pale boy's waist, hugging him tightly and whispered into his shoulder, “If I need you, you better bring me cake.”  
  
He chuckled softly at my words before kissing my forehead and saying, “I love you, babe. Like I said, text me if you need me.”  
  
“Have fun at school,” I said, waving as he walked out the bedroom door. He blew me a kiss and I smiled softly, crossing my legs and hugging the Bitter Rabbit once again, stroking the ears; the feeling of satin soothing me.  
  
If Ciel and I were going to end today, I didn't want it to be on a bad note. Even if I didn't get to call him mine, I still wanted to have him close. He's the one thing that I'd protect with my life; if I was to lose him, it'd be like losing a piece of my heart. I shut my eyes before laying back down on the bed.  
  
I had a feeling that today was not going to end well.  
  
\---  
  
Before today, I had never been in Ciel's room before. Everything in the room was incredibly tidy, from the bed in the dead-center of the room to the closet on the other side of where I was sitting. My reflection stared at me from the full body mirror as I played with the hem of my crimson red dress. I sat on the black futon, my legs crossed under me as Ciel sat on the edge of his bed, a glass of wine in his hand; a strange sight for him since he almost rarely drank the bitter liquid.  
  
The two of us hadn't said much since I walked through the door. The two of us were holding back something back from one another. I watched as he drank the dark liquid and he cleared his throat, running his hand over his eye patch.  
  
I didn't even know where to start. If I was to speak first, I'd have to bring up his affair with Sebastian; something I didn't want to dive straight in to. I twisted the ribbon from last night around my fingers as he took another sip of his wine before standing up and sitting the glass down on the dresser. With his back turned to me he said, “Elizabeth, I want to start with an apology first. I'm sorry for all the harm that I've caused you and I'm sorry that I have to tell you this.”  
  
My heart sunk with his words as I glanced up and asked, “W-What is it?” He leaned against the dresser, his hand wrapped around his glass before he brought it up to his lips once again. Could he not tell me this sober? Did he have to drink just to force it out?  
  
“I haven't been very reliable to you lately. I've been spending all my time with S-Sebastian and you've been walking home by yourself almost every single evening,” he began and I clutched the edge of the futon as if there was nothing else holding me up, “Lizzy, there's been quite a few things that I've been hiding from you this entire time and I hate myself for not telling you any of this sooner.”  
  
“C-C-Ciel?” My voice choked as his last word fell from his lips. I was scared, terrified to be a matter in fact.  
  
I watched as he reached behind his head and pulled at the knot that was holding his eye patch in place. The silk fabric fluttered to the floor and his eye remained closed as he turned around the face me. I had never seen him without it before, but whenever the patch had happened to have fallen off, he would always cover the eye as if it were a grotesque sight.  
  
He covered the eye with his hand as he spoke, “There's always been something between us and I've never known what. I know you've said that you've loved me so many times, but it feels like there's some hollow place in my chest; a place that hasn't been filled since my parents passed away,” I stared up at him in confusion before he glanced away from me, “Lizzy... I...” it was almost like his words had evaporated before he shook his head and continued, “Lizzy, I can't say that I love you the way that you love me. We've been together for four years and I love you, but I love you in the way that you love a sibling. I-I can't love you the way...”  
  
He stopped talking as tears streamed down my cheeks. I had prepared myself for this on the way over here, but I didn't expect him to just come out and say it. His words hit me as if I had just pierced myself in the heart with my own sword. I knotted my fingers tightly together as he stepped towards me, getting down on his knees so he could look me in the eye with that one cerulean orb.  
  
“Elizabeth, I don't want to lose you. I really don't want to lose you because you mean something to me; you really do,” he said to me and I shook my head before shouting, “It's true! It's true what Alois told me then! You're sleeping with Sebastian!”  
  
Ciel's gaze lost mine for only a moment before he said, “Sebastian and I have a connection; you could even call it a bond. I-”  
  
“No. No, Ciel. I don't want to listen about you and Sebastian. I don't want to listen about how you've been going behind my back to be with... with  **him**!” I screamed out the last word, almost hitting him in the face with my swinging fist. I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to yell and scream at him until my voice gave out. I loved him.  
  
“Lizzy, listen to me, please,” he begged as I hunched over and sobbed. “Y-You never loved me. Why?! Why did you end up staying with me?! Why did you stay with me if you only planned on hurting me?!” I slapped him with everything I had and he pulled his hand away from his eye to cover his reddening cheek. As he cringed in pain, I saw it.  
  
The single, blind orb was a beautiful shade of violet that seemed to glimmer. I stared at him in shock and he glanced up at me with his mismatched eyes, only for me to see the symbol that glittered in the light purple. The center of a pentagram laid in place of where his pupil was supposed to be. That's when I realized that it matched the tattoo on Sebastian's hand... Ciel's eye though wasn't merely a tattoo and I knew that this couldn't have been recent because he had been wearing the eye patch since he came back after the fire.  
  
I wiped my watery eyes with the back of my hand before I pulled him up so he could sit beside me on the futon. His eyes watched me in fear and I ran my fingers over the hand print that I had placed on his cheek. “It matches his hand,” was all I said to him before he nodded his head.  
  
“I didn't lie when I said that the two of us have a bond. Sebastian and I... we both have these markings that we can't explain. The first time we had ever seen each other, that day at lunch, there was this pain that went through my eye and his hand. We couldn't explain to it and since then, we've been spending so much time together... We've happened to notice that there's a connection that neither of us can shake off,” he said, his face turning slightly red as he glanced down.  
  
“Ciel...” My voice was soft as I didn't know what to say. I was upset, I was angry, but at the same time, I could slightly understand what he meant. The marks that he and Sebastian both share tie them to one another. Not only is there a connection between the two of them, but a bond.  
  
I shook my head as tears fell down my cheeks once again. Sebastian was the only one who could fill the hollow spot in Ciel's heart, not me. Ciel placed his hand on my arm, but I pulled away from him, standing up. “I-I need some time to myself...”  
  
With that, I turned around and ran out of the room, out of the house, and out onto the street; Ciel didn't even try to stop me. My feet carried me as fast as they could down the concrete path as I tried to wipe the tears away with the my arm. It failed miserable though as my heel broke and I fell to the concrete sidewalk.  
  
I cringed, waiting to hit the ground, but it never came. Instead, I felt a set of hands hooked under my arms, holding me up in place. As I stood up, I turned around to see a boy just a little bit older than me with golden eyes, dark skin, and purplish hair that was pulled up in a ponytail.  
  
“Are you alright, Miss?” He asked me, his words laced with a heavy Indian accent.  
  
“I-I'm fine. Th-Thank you,” I said, trying to put myself back together. I brushed down my now unruly blond hair and wiped my eyes as he stared at me before asking, “Are you sure you're fine? You don't seem like it.”  
  
Typically, if someone had said something like that to me, I'd think of them as rude, but this man was different. There was something about him that stood out to me. I wrapped my arms around myself as tears welled up in my eyes once again and I said, “I've just been having a rough day.”  
  
“Come with me; my apartment is just the next block ahead. You need to get cleaned up and I think you need a friend,” he said and I nodded my head as I stared down at my feet, trying to figure out how I was going to walk with one broken shoe. He took note in what I was doing and spoke up, “Miss, do you mind if I carry you?”  
  
I nodded my head and he picked me up off the ground, carrying me in his arms bridal style. There was a smile on his lips as I looked at him and I squeaked out, “I-I'm Elizabeth.” His smile grew brighter before he said, “I'm Soma Kadar.” I smiled back at him, wiping my eyes once more.  
  
I had the feeling that there was something about Soma that was different than any other person that I had met. I was curious to what it was, but at the same time, I wouldn't mind waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never meant to make things so bad for Lizzy and Alois, but for some reason, they became caught up in the dark side of my plot. This chapter went through five phases basically. 
> 
> 1\. This was supposed to be Sebastian's chapter  
> 2\. This was decided to be Lizzy's chapter after I had a change of heart after a reader's comment  
> 3\. Lizzy was originally going to get back at Ciel by cheating with another character  
> 4\. I didn't want to make Lizzy look bad because I think I've already done enough. I changed it to where her and Ciel would get hot and heavy before Ciel broke the news to her.  
> 5\. Again, I didn't like it. I decided that Lizzy and Ciel would attempt to end up on a soft note, but Lizzy would decide that she would have to think about whether or not Ciel should remain around her. 
> 
> Will I do another chapter with Lizzy? Probably. I'm also in the midst of planning on doing different points of view with other characters to add some spice to the plot. 
> 
> The next chapter shall be Ciel's. I'll pick it up from after Lizzy's departure and why he chose to reveal his eye to Lizzy. I hope you guys are prepared, I've got quite a bit rolled up my sleeve. 
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy!  
> I would really, really like to know your opinions on my chapters. Much like the one reader's comment, it made me rethink how to write the next chapter. I had never really thought about how horribly I had been treating Lizzy and Alois until they brought it up. I really do love the two though; that's why they're perfect best friends.... Also, I've finally added Soma! I haven't had the perfect chance to put him in here until now!


	13. His Master, Shock

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
“Goddammit!” I shouted, my fist flying through the thin drywall without much of a thought. I knew that Lizzy was going to be upset. I knew that she would probably run off. I hadn't planned on revealing my eye though. For some reason, I had thought that I could hold my eye shut and allow her to see me without the eye patch, but the plan backfired. Instead, she slapped me, saw my eye, and I explained to her just how close Sebastian and I were connected.  
  
Grabbing the wine glass off of the dresser, I finished off the dark, bitter liquid. The small scab that was left from my previous incident with the mirror, had now turned into a jagged cut. I ignored the blood running down my hand as images of last night flew through my mind before I shook them away.  
  
Last night, I had decided that Sebastian was the one I wanted and I didn't want to pull Lizzy along any longer. I hadn't told Sebastian my plan (as the thought was on a whim as I drove home this morning), but at the moment, it didn't matter.  
  
I met my reflection's bicolored eyes and watched as the tetragrammaton glittered when a slight sting ran through it. There was no doubt that Sebastian was feeling my raging emotions through his hand.  
  
I shut my eyes for only a moment before glancing down at my hand; drops of crimson blood had already landed on the wood floor. Since the fire and my kidnapping, pain had became a close friend of mine. Pain was currently in my heart, in my mind, and in my hand; for some reason though, I didn't want it to go away.  
  
I picked up my phone with my uninjured hand before dialing Sebastian's number and holding it up to my ear, listening to it ring. I could feel my vision slowly going fuzzy as there was the soft click of the phone being picked up.  
  
“ _Ciel, are you okay? Where are you at? I know you're not at school and you left the loft before I woke up; you didn't even leave me a note,_ ” Sebastian said, his voice almost sounding frantic. I could hear a Queen song playing in the background and I figured that he was probably smoking in his car if he knew that I didn't come to school.  
  
“Sebastian... I need you,” I mumbled before my vision went back and I hit the ground, unable to hear Sebastian's panicked shouts on the other end of the line.  
  
\---  
  
I was back in the mansion, laying on the light blue blankets of my bed. A stuffed, green-eyed rabbit was being held over my head by my small arms. Father had brought it back from his trip and since I loved it, he thought that it would make a great product for the company since Easter was coming up so soon.  
  
My bedroom door opened before Mama walked in holding a small, silver, plastic egg. I stared up at it in awe as she placed it in front of me and cooed, “I think the Easter Bunny is coming. I found this in the mailbox.” Of course, me being six years old, I jumped up and down on the bed in excitement.  
  
I picked up the egg, turning it in my hands as it glittered in the light. On the side of the plastic, my name was painted in a light blue, cursive font. I glanced up at my mother, smiling brightly before asking, “Can I go show this to Father?”  
  
Mama gave me a soft smile, nodding her head. “He's in his office so you'll have to be quiet, blackbird.”  
  
I ran down the hall, giving a small wave to Mey-Rin, our maid, before slipping down the corridor. The door to my father's office was cracked open and I crept down the hall before knocking lightly as I had been taught to always do.  
  
“Enter,” Father's voice rang out and I opened the door to see him laid back in a chair, his chocolate brown eyes watching me as he gave me a warm smile. “Ciel, what are you doing over here?”  
  
“The Easter Bunny left me an egg!” I cheered happily, walking over to him, holding up the glittering object. He took it from my hands, looking at it carefully before saying, “I wonder if there's anything inside of it?”  
  
I held onto the arm of his chair, standing on my toes as I watched him open it, revealing a few pieces of candy. “Jelly beans!”  
  
Father chuckled, handing me the bottom part of the egg filled with the multicolored sweets. He glanced up as my mother walked into the room, holding that loving look in his eyes that he reserved only for her. I smiled, glancing up at the both of them with about seven jelly beans shoved in my cheeks.  
  
Mama leaned down, patting my head gently before saying, “Blackbird, what did I tell you about being loud?” I glanced down and mumbled, “I'm sorry, Mama.”  
  
Her eyes held a soft expression before she said, “It's fine, darling. Now, you have to wake up.” I glanced up at her confused before her cerulean eyes turned crimson; the pupils becoming cat-like slits.  
  
Startled, I glanced over at my father, who was almost identical with the exception that his hair had turned pitch-black. “Yes, Ciel, wake up.”  
  
I sat up, gasping for air as Sebastian sat only inches away from me. His eyes were glowing as he watched me, reaching out before I pushed his hand away, muttering, “Don't touch me.”  
  
His eyes turned back their typical reddish-brown before he said, “Ciel... What happened?” I went to lift my right hand to look at the damage before noticing that it had been wrapped in snow white gauze; the blood cleaned from the wood floor.  
  
I looked at him as he stared at me with a worried look in his eyes; almost a slight resemblance to the look my father gave my mother. I shook my head before saying, “I talked to Lizzy about what was going on between the two of us. I had a few glasses of wine and I tried to be straightforward with her, but she was crying and she slapped me. She saw my eyes, Sebastian; s-she knows about my eye and she just ran off and went to who the hell knows where.” I was annoyed, I was upset, but most of all, I was utterly confused.  
  
The older male knitted his eyebrows before saying, “Why didn't you tell me that you were going to break up with her, Ciel? You never dared to bring it up when we spent last night together.” Agitation held his voice and I glanced away from him. “I didn't think about it until I woke up this morning. Last night, I realized something, Sebastian; I realized that what I am doing is wrong and I was only hurting Elizabeth. I never wanted to hurt her, but instead of pulling her along, I decided that it was time to cut her loose. Sebastian, as cheesy as it sounds, I'd prefer to have you by my side.”  
  
I felt my face go scarlet as I looked up at him. He stared at me for a long moment before he muttered, “Ciel, do you even realize what you're saying? I'm... I'm just simply an eyesore and me being with you will only damage your reputation-”  
  
I cut him off, my voice raised, “I don't give a damn about my reputation. Hell, if it wasn't for the fact that my parents passed away, I could be a normal fucking teenager; I wouldn't have to worry about running a worldwide company, paying bills, being alone, having nightmares that plague my...” My voice was silenced as I sat there, my hand wrapped up in the fabric of my shirt. I sighed softly before my voice dropped to almost a whisper, “The point is, Sebastian, I have feelings, scratch that,  _romantic_ , feelings for you. I don't care what others think about me because what matters the most is that I'm happy.”  
  
I studied him carefully as he ran a hand through his raven black locks. Without much of a thought, I reached my hand out towards him and after a moment, his fingers were interlaced with mine. His long, bony hand was almost scorching hot against mine and he glanced up at me. He squeezed my hand lightly, giving me a slight smile. “ _Si mei estis, amore?_ ”  
  
My face turned red as I slowly nodded my head. He leaned forward, kissing my lips softly before pulling me close to him.  
  
My heart raced in my chest as I wondered if I was making the right decision.  
  
\---  
  
I lay across my bed with a slice of chocolate cake and my assigned Shakespearean sonnet sitting in front of me. Sebastian had left just a little after four because he had to work at The Devil's Playlist tonight. He had promised to return once he closed up the store, but it didn't matter if he stayed the night; he had already spent the day with me as we laid in bed, just talking about our dark pasts and our hopeful futures. There was a part of me that wouldn't allow everything to be shared, but I'm sure that Sebastian already knew that it would take time for me to open up to him.  
  
My eyes scanned over the sonnet before I glanced up, trying to recite the words. “ _Thine eyes I love, and they, as pitying me / Knowing thy heart torment me with disdain / Have put on black and loving mourners be / Looking with_... Dammit,” I growled as I fumbled with memorizing the lines.  
  
I picked at the cake with my fork as I glanced over the words in front of me once again. I had to know the sonnet by tomorrow and at the moment, I could only remember the first three lines. Picking the piece off of my fork, I placed it into my mouth, savoring the taste of chocolate. My phone vibrated on the bedside table and I glanced away from the sonnet for only a moment to check the message.  
  
Sebastian:  _What are you up to?_  
  
Sebastian had told me earlier that Saleos was going to be out of work for the rest of the week because he had the flu. I knew that he was at work alone and I had the feeling that he was completely bored out of his mind.  
  
I smiled softly before texting him back.  
  
 _Eating cake and studying English; this is simply nothing new for me_  
  
My one blue eye watched as the thin blue bar as it slid across the screen; the progress of sending my message. I slipping another piece of cake into my mouth before letting out a sigh and stretching across the bed. I laid my head down onto the soft fabric, taking notice in the faintest scent of cinnamon and cigarettes embedded in the sheets.  
  
Another smile crossed my lips as I lay there. Everything was perfect and almost calming until I heard the shatter of glass coming from downstairs. My eye went wide as I grabbed my cell phone, rushing down the staircase to find out what was going on.  
  
As I reached the very last step, I stood there frozen. The long, tacky, burgundy couch my aunt had bought years ago was being consumed by flames. My eyes were trained to the fire as flashbacks of the mansion flew over and over in my head. My legs shook and I had to force myself to get out of the house before I ended up like the couch.  
  
I ran outside, only to find two figures in the street, one of them holding a bottle with a flaming rag sticking out of it; a Molotov cocktail. The two of them were wearing jackets with the hoods pulled over their heads; the crimson emblem glistening in the light of the flames.  
  
“Who are you?!” I shouted, my voice cracking in my fear. Were they here to take me? Were they here to scare me?  
  
The two of them turned around and I tried to make out their faces in the bright orange light. They wore masks on the lower half of their faces, but I could see their eyes almost perfect though; it was almost as if they were glowing. The eyes on the right were a bright, bright green, while the ones on the left were a pure white; no pupils nor irises.  
  
Green eyes threw the cocktail at the house and I watched as it hit the window, shattering the glass before the flames licked at what was left of the curtains. I turned back around to stare at the duo when white eyes raised a finger, pointing towards the door behind me. Slowly, I turned around to find the cult's symbol spray-painted across the door, staining the narrow windows beside the wood.  
  
My legs shook at the sight as fear ran deep through my veins. I had to force myself to turn back around, only to see that the two had disappeared as if they were never there. My eye found the flames once again as my legs gave out. I collapsed onto the concrete walkway as my entire body began to tremble.  
  
All I could see was the flames consuming the mansion as my captor held me tightly, his hand placed over my mouth, a knife held to my neck. Tears ran down my face as I gasped for air. I couldn't breathe, couldn't focus, couldn't stop shaking.  
  
I didn't hear the sirens of the firetruck that pulled up on the sidewalk. My eyes were trained perfectly to the fire as the EMTs took me to the ambulance. I had no focus on anyone or anything around me. The only thing that could catch my attention was the orange embers that were eating away at my home.  
  
The word shock caught my attention for only a moment and a blanket was thrown over my shoulders as I continued to shake. They tried to shut me away from the sight that I was locked on, but I screamed. I needed to see it. I needed to see them. I was waiting for my parents to walk out of the flames with welcoming arms. As my throat began to grow raw, I head a voice that pulled me close to reality.  
  
“Let me through, goddammit! I need to see him! I need to see, Ciel!”  
  
I glanced up, my voice cracking as I said, “S-Sebastian?” My one blue eye met his reddish-brown ones. I watched as he broke through the hands holding him back.  
  
He ran towards me before he wrapped his arms tightly around me, kissing my forehead softly. “Ciel... I got a call from Saleos and I-I thought...” His voice died as he tried to hold back his sobs.  
  
I buried my face into his chest and cried. The only person I saw was Sebastian. He took away the fears, the nightmares, the flashbacks. I clutched his shirt in fear that he was going to leave me and I cried until I had nothing left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As my chapters as of late, I've had to really sit and think about what you all, the readers, would want to see next. I'm not too satisfied with the beginning of this chapter and it took me almost three days to think about how to end it. I decided to leave you all with a bit of a sad (and slight) cliffhanger for the purpose of showing more of the canon personalities in the next chapter. 
> 
> The two figures in the hoods shall come up once again in this story. I'll say that one of them is of my own creation and I've been trying to find some way to add them to the story for a while. Right now, I'm trying to decide what is going to happen in the next chapter, but I'm going to warn you, the chapter will start out showing Ciel's Post Traumatic Stress Disorder... I feel so bad for my baby... Why am I so mean to characters? 
> 
> Also, I cannot, I repeat, cannot speak Latin. I only know seldom bit about Latin from what one of my friends have taught me so my translations are not going to be one hundred percent accurate; I do the horrible thing of using Google translate. Going along with that, the Latin piece in this chapter is "Will you be mine, love?" 
> 
> On top of all of this, very, very long author's note, I did mention sonnet 132 in this chapter, but it is incomplete and hasn't had it's explanation yet. Again, I save that for another chapter.


	14. That Butler, Protecting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't exactly like this chapter. I mean, the beginning started out strong, but as the chapter progressed, it went downhill. I promise that the next chapter shall be so much more exciting than this one. I shall also be pulling Lizzy and Alois into the next chapter just so you guys know.
> 
> I don't have much more to say, but I'm hoping that you guys will like what I have planned for next chapter.
> 
> Also, the Latin translation in this chapter is "Yes, my lord." I do try to pull a bit of canon into the chapters. That's why Ciel had his little rage fit.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy!

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
_He was propped up on his elbow, that single violet eye glowing brightly. The warm, burning sensation was present in the mark on my hand, but I didn't mind it at all. A small, half-smile held his lips as he spoke and I could feel myself falling faster and faster in... was it love?  
  
I feared falling in love. When Joker broke my heart when I was fifteen, I felt like I could never love again. I cared for Ciel more than anyone else, but he feared that nothing could replace the love he lost when his family passed away.  
  
Laying down, he moved his small body closer to mine. He nuzzled my neck gently, whispering to me, “Sebastian, I care about you and the two of us have been through quite a bit in our pasts, but I want you to know that you don't have to talk about all of it to me; I mean, I know that there's probably some of it you want to keep personal-” His words were awkward with his sudden statement and I cut him off with a kiss before he could continue.  
  
He wrapped his arms around my neck as I grabbed his waist, pulling him even closer to me. His lips were soft and gentle against mine; lips that finally belonged finally to me. He tugged at my hair as his fingers were tangled in the raven strands.  
  
“Ciel,” his name was a whisper on my lips as I kissed his neck, his mismatched eyes lidded. I couldn't understand the pleasure that he received by kissing me, but I loved his reactions and the sensitivity to my touches.  
  
He mewled as I kissed his ear and I rolled onto my back, pulling him on top of me, capturing his lips once again. He straddled me as I gave a soft, coy smile when he pulled away for a moment to run a hand through his navy black hair, only to kiss me once again.  
  
“Sebastian, never leave me; promise me that,” he moaned softly into to kiss. My words slipped across my lips with ease.  
  
“_ Etiam, domine mi _.”_  
  
If only this moment had been like earlier. If only we could go back to being curled up in each others arms without a single care in the world. If only I hadn't of left Ciel here alone...  
  
My arms were wrapped tightly around the younger male as his fingers clutched my shirt, whimpering out my name as he sobbed. I blinked away the tears that stung my own eyes as I glanced up at the two EMTs. The only person Ciel focused on was me; he blocked out everyone else around us.  
  
“He's showing signs of post traumatic stress disorder and,” the paramedic speaking nodded his head towards the fire, “that is what set him off into this state.” I watched the two of them in worry before pressing my lips to Ciel's forehead.  
  
My grandfather fought a couple of wars in his days and I remembered how he slept with a gun in his bedside table and the nights he'd wake up screaming; I was the one who had forced him back to bed as he thrashed back and forth.  
  
I shut my eyes as Ciel whined my name once again, his grip loosening on my shirt before mumbling, “I'm sleepy.”  
  
I whispered into his hair, “Sleep, darling, and all the bad things will go away.” Ciel slumped against me as exhaustion took over his body and I picked him up, carrying him to my car before placing him in the passenger seat. I threw a jacket over his small body before gently shutting the door to the Mustang, walking back over to the ambulance.  
  
“Is there anything that you can do about what's going on with him? I've seen him like this before, but never this bad,” I said, talking to the duo sitting in the back. The female shook her head slowly, speaking solemnly, “The only thing we can do is give him something to sleep and recommend therapy.”  
  
I ran a hand through my hair as the other paramedic looked at me with his blue eyes and said, “He's the last of the Phantomhives, right? I've always wondered what happened to him in that month that he went missing. I heard that someone tried to sell him into prostitution. Maybe it's true with-”  
  
I cut him off growling, “Is that any of your damn business? You're supposed to be saving lives, not sticking your nose into something that doesn't involve you. Whatever happened in the past deserves to stay in the past. Besides, if you never noticed, the Phantomhive mansion  **burned**  down six years ago. Did you not think that through?” I tried to hold back the inhuman burning in my eyes. At the end of my words, my lips were pulled into a tight line as the two stared at me, dumbfounded. A smirk crossed my lips as I said, “If there's nothing left to say, I shall be taking Ciel back to my house so he will have a place to stay.”  
  
I walked away smiling, knowing that after I explained the situation to the police standing by I would be able to take Ciel home, safe from harm's way.  
  
\---  
  
Ciel was curled up under the dark red comforter as he slept. It was a little past two in the morning as I laid beside him, running my fingers through his hair as the peaceful slumber occasionally turning into shallow gasps and high-pitched whines.  
  
My fingers brushed away a stray navy black hair that had fallen across his face and he leaned into my hand. I knew that he found comfort in my presence, but I was worried that I would hurt him; he had been hurt enough.  
  
I pulled away from Ciel, glancing back at him as I slid off of the bed. He held that slight pout on his lips as he slept and a small smile made itself known on my lips. In his position, he looked so much younger than sixteen.  
  
I picked my jacket up from the floor, shrugging into it, shivering as the cool material hit my naked skin. Glancing back at the sleeping Ciel one last time, I stepped out of the loft, standing on the frigid concrete. I pulled my cigarettes out of my pocket before flicking my lighter, staring at the flame.  
  
Fire. Fire was the thing that pushed Ciel over his breaking point. As I stared at Ciel as two police officers held me back, that one blue eye was trained perfectly on the raging flames.  
  
I shut my eyes, lighting the cancer stick that was placed between my lips. I took a long drag before watching the wispy some as it left my lips. Ciel had been pushed over the edge, but how long was it going to take for him to come back up?  
  
Putting out the cigarette against the concrete wall, I ran a hand through my hair. My feet carried me over to the opened siding of the corridor as I stared out at the city lights. West Side had always scared me at night, even though I had moved here a little over two years ago, I still hated going out at night. I needed to take a walk to clear my head though. I needed to figure out what to do if Ciel didn't come back up.  
  
Opening the door quietly, I listened in to see if Ciel had woken up. Everything was silent as I slipped on my shoes before heading out the door into the chilly March air. With another cigarette between my lips, I walked down the streets of West Side, lost in my thoughts.  
  
\---  
  
It was a little past six in the morning when I stepped out of the shower. I didn't sleep in fear of Ciel waking up and needing someone to comfort him. My biggest fear at the moment though is him being stuck in the mind set of his ten year old self.  
  
A sigh slipped past my lips as I ran a towel through my wet, raven locks. I walked downstairs, making sure my steps weren't incredibly loud as I made my way towards the instruments placed in the corner of the open living area.  
  
Music has always been my release whenever I was stressed out or upset. It was one thing that Grandfather taught me when I was little. I grew to convey my pent up emotions of my past and my fears through music. I would have never learned if it wasn't for him.  
  
The first thing I grabbed was my violin. It had been over a month since I had last played it and I knew that I may have been a little rusty at creating the best of performances. My grandfather had always told me that I needed to try my best and that I had to keep practicing to succeed; another stroke of wisdom he had given me.  
  
The advice played over and over in my mind as I held the bow in one hand; the violin held in place by my jaw. I glanced down at the sheet music that Ciel had played that first night he stayed with me. A soft smile held my lips as I began to play, trying to hit every note perfect. I shut my eyes, getting lost in the sound of the violin when I heard a small, “Sebastian?”  
  
With the call of my name, I placed the instrument back in its case before walking over to the entrance of my room. Ciel was sitting up on the bed, rubbing his sleep-filled, mismatched eyes. He glanced up at me and mumbled, “Why are you awake so early?”  
  
I sat on the edge of the bed before flopping over onto the crimson sheets. I stared at him upside down before saying, “I never went to bed. I didn't want you to wake up upset without having someone to comfort you.” His eyes watched me in confusion before he asked the one question that I had been fearful of.  
  
“What are you talking about?”  
  
My grandfather didn't remember some of the episodes that his past had brought upon him. I feared that Ciel would be the same because that would give us no leads to who started the fire. I had a feeling in my gut though that it had been the same group who had trashed my home and left the warning message dripping down my bedroom wall.  
  
I sat up in an instant and stared at him, trying to find a way to explain what was going on to the younger male. Chewing at my lip, I finally spoke up, “Ciel, come here; I need to tell you something.” I reached my hand out to him and he took it, moving closer to him.  
  
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I said, “Last night there was a fire... What's the last thing you remember?”  
  
He looked worried; almost scared before he said, “I was reciting the sonnet that Ms. Hopkins gave to me. I... I could only remember the first three lines. Sebastian, what do you mean there was a fire?” Those two-colored eyes stared up at me as he studied my face.  
  
“Ciel, last night your house was burnt down. Y-You had an episode and I brought you back here after you passed out from it. I stayed up the entire night because I was afraid that... Ciel?” I stopped mid-sentence as his face turned a deep red, not because he was upset, but because he was furious.  
  
“Who the hell did it?!” It was as if his rage had been bottled up for years. The one violet eyes glowed brightly and I could feel his anger strike through my hand, causing it to clench into a fist unconsciously.  
  
I stared at him, shocked, before saying, “I don't know. When I arrived the house-”  
  
He stopped me right in my tracks, “You should know, Sebastian! You're supposed to be the one to know!” I had no idea why he was so angry, “Calm down; we'll figure this-”  
  
“This is my house we're talking about! All of my possessions with the exception of my laptop, shoulder bag, and the clothes on my back are all... gone,” his voice cracked. I realized that his anger had been brought upon his fear as he glanced down, twisting his family's rings around his fingers. He glanced up at me with watery eyes and said, “Take me there. I-I want to see if I have anything left...”  
  
His eyes lost mine as he glanced down and I pulled him close, resting my chin on top of his head. He leaned into my chest before I frowned and said, “I don't think that's a good idea. I don't want to see you hurt anymore than you already are, Ciel.” He gripped my shirt tightly before I felt the fabric slowly being stained by his tears.  
  
I held him close to my chest, humming softly, and rocking the two of us back in forth in hopes of calming the younger male down. He sniffled as the tears dried up and he glanced up at me with those two colored eyes before whispering, “Can we go later then? I'll make the calls to see if we can enter the property and I need to let the insurance company know what's going on... I should also call Tanaka.” He wiped what was left of the tears.  
  
“Okay, after you make the calls though. We also need to go pick up a few things for you; clothes and everything else. I'd like to get that out of way,” I sighed and he nodded his head before asking, “Can we go out for breakfast also? I want pancakes and I know that there's an IHOP around here somewhere.” There was a happier tone in his voice and I smiled when I heard it.  
  
“ _Etiam, domine mi._ ”


	15. His Master, Realization

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
I played with the bag sitting in my lap. Sebastian had bought both of us breakfast at a pancake house and had been driving all around the city for most of the morning for me to buy the things that I needed and to inform people what had happened to my beloved home.  
  
The entire car was filled with bags of new clothes; one of which was sitting in my lap. I tugged at the edge of my new navy and white pullover, knowing that it would never be as good as the black one I wore before; I had to deal with it though. At the store, I almost bought myself actual pajamas, but Sebastian had told me that I could have a few of his old dress shirts that sat in the back of his closet, untouched.  
  
I looked over at the older male as his eyes were focused on the road in front of him. The two of us were on our way to see what was left of my townhouse, even though I knew it wasn't going to be much. I chewed at my lip as I thought about what we would and would not see when we arrived.  
  
Sebastian grabbed my hand and gave it a small squeeze; his reddish-brown eyes looking over at me for only a moment before he said, “Stop worrying so much; I don't want your hair turning white at this age.” A small smile drew across his lips as I felt the warm glow run through my covered, violet eye. I glanced down, face turning slightly red, a half-smile feathering my lips.  
  
My eyes found the street we were driving on and I saw my Charger sitting in its lonesome beside the soot covered sidewalk. Three people stood there as we pulled up, their backs to the street, not even glancing back as the Sebastian killed the car's engine. Sebastian opened the Fastback's door with a squeak and I joined him on the sidewalk before interlacing my fingers with his.  
  
The trio turned around and I only saw familiar faces; Lizzy, Alois, and Claude. Lizzy was shaking as she saw me and at an instant, she ran towards me. Her arms wrapped tightly around my neck and she buried her face into my shoulder, crying. I held her close to me as she sobbed, “M-Mother told me about the fire when she got home last night. I r-ran here as fast as I-I-I could and I didn't s-see you anywhere a-and they w-wouldn't tell m-me anything. I-I was afraid that something had h-happened to y-you.”  
  
She pulled away and stared with those watery green eyes before she pulled her unruly blonde curls away from her face. I noticed that she was still wearing the silver pearls around her neck and a set of mismatching, gold bangles sat on her wrist.  
  
“Ciel?” She asked, watching me as I released her and mumbled, “I'm sorry for worrying you; I wasn't in the right state of mind last night with the fire reminding me of... I should have at least let you know that I was alright.”  
  
Her eyes watched me for a moment before she shook her head and said, “Ciel, you didn't have to contact anyone. You were in shock because of what was happening and I wouldn't blame you. I'm just happy that you're safe and I'm sure that Sebastian was there for you last night.” She gestured towards the lanky male who had wandered off to talk to Alois and Claude. Lizzy gave me a slight smile before pulling a tissue out of her purse and wiping her eyes, the gold bangles glittering in the sun.  
  
The two of us walked over to the little group before Sebastian looked over at the brick skeleton of the townhouse. The houses next to it had black marks creeping up the sides; remains of the fire's wrath. “Do you want to look through and see if there's anything left?” Sebastian asked me before I simply nodded my head, pulling a face mask from out of my pocket and placing it over my mouth and nose.  
  
I wandered into the ashes, Sebastian following close behind me as the glass crunched under my shoes when I walked through the remains of my house. My eyes were running over each part of the blackness when I saw a glimmering object just feet away from me. Quickly, I wandered over to it and picked it up, the object cutting the palm of my hand as I simply ignored the pooling crimson.  
  
In my hand was the top portion of the clear, glass king from the chess set that Madam Red had bought me; the chess set that I had treasured greatly.  
  
My eye looked over at Sebastian and I saw the concerning look in his eyes. He held an object of his own and his feet carried him over to me, holding up one of the black, glass knights from the set along with a silver glittering object; a pin with the cult's symbol on it. It looked as if it had been placed after the fire because the silver wasn't charred the slightest bit.  
  
I stared at it with wide eyes before taking it from his hands, the silver slowly painted red by the blood from my hand. Sebastian took it and the chess piece from my hands before placing them in his pocket pulling out a handkerchief and pressing it against the leaking crimson. My eye looked down at the white piece of fabric before I shut my eyes.  
  
In the past few days my hands had been cut, bruised, covered in blood, and almost taken through hell and back. Not only had these hands felt those things, they had also touched what seemed like love. They felt things that hadn't been around in years.  
  
My eye found Sebastian's reddish-brown orbs before he whispered, “I think that's enough exploring for today. We can always come back later if we need to; I'm perfectly fine with it.” He watched me very carefully as I looked across the ash before I whispered, “I... Yes, that's enough.” My hand clenched into a fist, crumpling the snow white handkerchief, slowing staining it crimson.  
  
Sebastian scooped me up, carrying me bridal style out of the wreckage. I put pressure on my hand as I leaned against him whispering, “They'll pay... They'll pay for every damned thing they've done.”  
  
I heard Sebastian hum before he chuckled darkly, “And I shall remain by your side until you have declared checkmate.”  
  
\---  
  
Sebastian and I ended up at Claude's apartment; Alois trailing not too far behind. Claude lived in a small, two bedroom apartment on the outskirts of West Side; he shared the place with a guy named Undertaker, but for some reason, no one ever saw him when the sun was up.  
  
Alois was draped across Claude's lap in a recliner while I sat next to Sebastian, his right thigh pressed flush against mine. The older blond and I didn't say much as Sebastian and Claude spoke and I saw Alois place a hand on his bruised cheek every once and awhile, wincing at the contact.  
  
I frowned, glancing away when Claude said, staring at me with his yellow eyes for only a moment, “So Sebastian, have the two of you suddenly became a couple? I've noticed that both of you have been incredibly close all day.” A smirk played his lips as Alois glanced up, pulling the strawberry lolly he had been sucking on out of his mouth.  
  
My eyes found the floor, face glowing hot as Sebastian fumbled, “I, uh, wouldn't call it that. Ciel  _just_  broke up with Elizabeth and I don't want to make her think badly of me. I just-”  
  
“She won't think badly of you, Sebastian,” Alois spoke up, shaking his head, “Ciel knows for a fact that, that's not the way that Lizzy works. She would want for Ciel to be happy and you seem to be the one who is able to do just that. I'm sure she'll be upset at first, but once she gets to know you, Sebastian, she'll be the most cheerful person that you've ever met.” He gave Sebastian a soft smile before placing the lolly back into his mouth and burying his face into Claude's neck.  
  
Claude held the blond tightly, a half-smile on his lips before he pushed his glasses up his nose. “Back to my earlier question, are the two of you together? I know you're hiding something Sebastian; I've known you long enough to be able to decipher what you're thinking by the way you act.” His golden eyes bore into us and my face began to heat up ever so slowly.  
  
Sebastian's reddish brown eyes found my single cerulean one before his voice dropped down to almost a whisper, “There's nothing official between the two of us and Ciel knows that I feel something more for him, but it's all his decision whether or not it goes any further; I'm not pushing him into anything that he doesn't want.” He looked over at me again as I twisted the Phantomhive blue diamond around my thumb, feeling my marked eye glowing fiercely under the silk fabric.  
  
Claude stared at the two of us as Sebastian rubbed his left hand and I gave him my signature smirk before I cooed, suddenly feeling cocky, “Sebastian, is that a proposal for me to be your boyfriend?” The older male looked at me with wide eyes, taking sudden notice in my change of mood. Alois chuckled as Sebastian chewed his lip and I leaned down, whispering in his ear, “If it is, then I accept.”  
  
He sat up, looking straight at me when Alois groaned, “Just kiss already; all of this suspense is killing me.” His teal eyes looked annoyed as he watched us and Claude laughed, smirking once again.  
  
Before I could even turn my head to face Sebastian, he grabbed my chin, causing me to look over at him, and placed his lips upon mine. I kissed him back, savoring the taste of spicy cinnamon and cigarettes. After a moment, he placed one last soft kiss on the corner of my mouth before pulling away. As our eyes were locked with one another, Alois shouted, “Finally!”  
  
My face was red as Sebastian's marked hand held mine. I smiled softly as my eye was aflame and my heart thudded against my chest. I knew for a fact that I was falling for him hard and fast; the thought scared me to death.  
  
\---  
  
I sat behind the thick glass, sticker-covered, counter at The Devil's Playlist. Sebastian was bustling around the store restocking merchandise while Lix, Sebastian's fuchsia-haired coworker, was helping a customer.  
  
Sebastian looked over at me as I took a bite out of the Taco Bell burrito in my hands. All I had to do was sit here for another hour and then the two of us could go home and sleep. I ran a hand through my hair, licking the melted cheese off the side of my mouth as the customer walked out the door empty-handed.  
  
Lix sighed, wandering over to the counter, picking at her taco salad. I had been generous enough to pay for dinner even after everyone protested, but then again, I had more money than what I knew to do with. She glanced over at me with her green-silver eyes before muttering, “It'd be great if you worked here; you'd fit in perfectly with us weird kids. We've been running low on staff as of late and only one person has joined us since Sebastian was hired a little over six months ago.”  
  
I chuckled, taking another bit out of the overstuffed tortilla before speaking, “If I wasn't the head of Funtom then I would gladly ask for a job here. Instead, I'm trapped under paperwork and product sales. Everything has been hectic as of late with Easter coming up.” I sat the burrito down as she continued to pick at her food, looking lost in her thoughts.  
  
“I remember when the first set of Funtom rabbits came out,” she mumbled, her eyes find mine for a moment, “It was Easter just before my fourth birthday and I had begged my mom for one. We didn't have much money and the company ended up running a contest for one lucky person to receive a customized rabbit; by some chance, I won. I still have that rabbit sitting around somewhere.”  
  
I watched her carefully with my one blue eye before she muttered, “I don't know why I'm telling you that silly story, but I know that the rabbits, even though they've changed so much since you've taken over, make piles of kids happy. I'm amazed that they've been popular for so long.” Lix gave me a small smile as Sebastian hugged me from behind, kissing my forehead as I glanced up at him.  
  
She rolled her eyes, standing up before shaking her head. “I'm going on a smoke break; hope you two get a little bit of alone time.” Her lips held a small smirk before she winked at him, disappearing into the back of the store.  
  
I sighed softly, leaning into Sebastian's touch before saying, “I can't wait until we leave. I'm so tired and I just want to take a shower and fall asleep. I know that I'm going to be busy tomorrow with another report for Victoria and dealing with Funtom and talking-”  
  
Sebastian cut me off, kissing my lips roughly as if he didn't have a single care about where we were at and the fact that anyone could walk in on the two of us at any time. His fingers ran through my navy black hair, tugging at it as I moaned softly. I slid sideways in the chair, reaching up and wrapping my arms around his neck. The older male traced my lower lip with his tongue before I allowed him entrance, the wet muscle dancing with mine.  
  
We were forced apart when the door opened with the soft ding of the bell and the two of us glanced up to see a white-haired girl prancing towards our way. Her entire outfit consisted of white and black with just a a small hint of red around her neck. She had a bright smile on her face and I heard Sebastian say, “What are you doing here, Kasadya?” I looked up to see the girl's face, only to be shocked. The white hair was in a short pixie cut; her eyes a pure white, no iris or pupil.  
  
She must have looked down at me because she said, “I'm glad I'm not the only one with an issue with their eyes. I'm Kasadya and before you ask, I was born like this and I'm sure you can already tell that I'm not blind.” She held out her hand to me and I shook it, feeling Sebastian tense up through our connection.  
  
“Kasadya, what are you doing here? You aren't scheduled to work until Tuesday. Lix and I also have to close up soon; do not waste my time,” Sebastian said through his teeth, an annoyed look in his reddish-brown eyes.  
  
She sighed, “rolling” her eyes before muttering, “Jeez, who shoved a pole up your ass? I was just wonder what Saleos' number is. I know he's out for the rest of the week, but there's something I need to talk to him about.” She rubbed her pale white arms and I took notice in the two tattoos she had; a scythe on her right bicep and a snake wrapped around her left ring finger.  
  
My eyes alternated between the two tattoos when I noticed that the handle of scythe was similar to a scepter and the snake was a dark, reddish color. The conversation between Sebastian and Kasadya became muffled to me as flames filled my vision and I saw two hooded figures; their eyes standing out to me the most. Green eyes threw a flaming bottle at the house that had somehow appeared behind me. White eyes grabbed the others hand as I ran at them before I found myself back in the shop, my blood running hot through my veins as anger filled my heart.  
  
I could barely hear Sebastian asking me if I was alright as I noticed that Kasadya had already left the shop. My vision was purely crimson as I ripped off my eye patch, slapping Sebastian's hand away as he tried to stop me. I jumped up from the chair, running out of the shop as fast as my legs could carry me.  
  
I saw the white-haired girl duck down the alley across the street, pulling the hood of her vest up. I ran across the road, running down the alley where she had disappeared when I heard my mother's lullaby playing in the air. My legs began to shake and I collapsed to the ground before I could continue my pursuit.  
  
It wasn't long before I heard a set of footsteps behind me and I shut my eyes as Sebastian picked me up off the ground, holding me close to him and humming before he whispered, “We'll get them, Ciel. It's only a matter of time before their last pawn falls and their king is captured.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all over the place and I'm sure many of you will agree with this. There's quite a few things that I'd also like to mention about this chapter and the story itself.
> 
> 1\. Ciel and Sebastian's relationship (like them being together) has not happened until this point. In this chapter, they're officially together.  
> 2\. Someone asked me what cars the boys have so I thought I'd answer that question. Sebastian drives a 1965 Fastback Mustang GT (he bought this with his own money after he saw someone selling it on the side of the road; it's also my dream car). Ciel (being rich of course) drives a 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.  
> 3\. I did bring Soma up in the chapter from Lizzy's point of view. Her bangles are a hint at something that'll come up sometimes soon; maybe in her point of view.  
> 4\. I did use quite a few chess references in this chapter.  
> 5\. Every one of Sebastian's coworkers are named after a demon; though the demon itself has nothing to do with the person, I still found a list of names and used them.
> 
> There are more random facts to come, but I'm hoping that you guys will enjoy this chapter. The next chapter should show up before next Sunday so be prepared lovelies!
> 
> Comment/Enjoy! I love hearing some feedback from you guys; it keeps me going!
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	16. That Butler, Monster

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
I was sprawled across the bed in my sweatpants and a baggy shirt. I listened as the shower was running upstairs; Ciel was trying to wash away the events of this evening. He didn't say a single word to me as I drove home and I was beginning to worry about him.  
  
These past few days have been rough on the younger male with Victoria's case being personal, Ciel's past playing a high factor in what's going on, his house burning to the ground, and now Kasadya being revealed as one of the cult that we've been chasing. I was fearful of his sanity and how he may end up when all of this is over.  
  
I stretched across the bed, a loud sigh escaping my lips as my eyes found the bedside table. I had placed the two glass chess pieces there when I had changed my clothes, but I had never really gotten a chance to really look over them.  
  
The clear glass king that barely stood up on its own, had a bluish tint to it in the light. I picked it up, staring at the shattered chess piece when I saw the small rust colored spot staining the glass, the shard that happened to cut Ciel's hand open. The other piece was a pure black knight, the glass as perfect as it was before the fire. I stared at the piece, holding it next to its companion for only a few moments as if I was stuck in a trance.  
  
I was thrown headfirst back into reality when a loud crash came from upstairs. My hand burned as I ran up the steps, knocking on the bathroom door before twisting the locked knob with enough force that it unlocked. Without much of a care, I opened the bathroom door only to find Ciel laying across the floor as naked as the day he was born.  
  
He let out a muffled groan before sitting up slightly, looking up at me with those two-colored eyes and saying, “Give me that towel; that's the reason why I ended up on the floor in the first place.” I couldn't help myself when I allowed my eyes to travel across his pale skin, taking in all of him. His face turned a dark crimson as I licked my lips without much of a thought.  
  
My eyes were glowing as I had a dark thought and I loved every part of it; I wanted to consume Ciel.  
  
His eyes stared up at me in shock as my awful intentions played over and over in my mind. As he struggled to grab the towel, I approached him with slow careful steps; a predator going after his prey. I wanted to pick him up off the floor and take his body for myself, silencing his strangled protests with moans of pleasure. A sinister chuckle left my lips as he wrapped the dark blue fabric around his body before starting up at me with that glittering violet eye and shouting, “Sebastian, what in the hell is wrong with you?!”  
  
It felt like I had been slapped across the face as I stared at him with flaming crimson eyes. The look of terror held his expression and I backed away from him, looking over at the mirror and seeing a sight that made me cringe; my eyes were those glowing, cat-like slits and I had sharp, pointed incisors just barely showing. I came to the realization that I was a monster; just like a devil minus the horns and pitchfork.  
  
I felt the burning sensation in my eyes die as I looked down at the younger male again before I stuttered out, “I, uh, I... Are you okay?” I reached out towards him, but quickly stopped and pulled away in fear of turning back into that monster. Slowly, he nodded his head and I shut my eyes, shaking my head before whispering, “I'm going to go take a walk. I-I need to clear my head, but if... if you need me, I have my phone.” Quickly, I turned around and almost ran out of the loft, grabbing my shoes and phone in the process of leaving. Something was wrong with me and I needed someway to unwind, to just let go of everything.  
  
As I walked down the lamp-lit street with a cigarette perched between my lips, I unlocked my phone. Scrolling through the contacts, I pressed one that I knew that I would later regret for many, many reasons.  
  
Holding the phone up to my ear, I listened to it ring until I heard the click of the call being answered. There was loud music playing as a cocky voice said, “ _So, you've finally decided to come crawling back. What happened, did your bitch leave you?_ ”  
  
“Shut the fuck up, Joker. Where the hell are you?” I snapped at him. I wanted to punch him in the face; I wanted to kick his teeth in for referring to Ciel the way that he did. The only reason I called him was to get drunk. I wanted to drink so much that I forgot the beast that was lurking somewhere inside of me.  
  
“ _You know the exact place, Sebastian. The door is unlocked, but it's not like you'd really need a key to get in. I'll see you whenever you get here,_ ” Joker said, the other side of the line going dead as he spoke his final words.  
  
I locked the phone, dropping it into my pocket, and threw down the cigarette butt. Stamping it out with the heel of my shoe, I glanced back towards the loft, taking notice in the light shining dimly through my frosted glass windows. My hand and eyes burned for only a moment before I turned away, continuing down the sidewalk to a place that I knew all too well.  
  
\---  
  
Joker lived on the more run down portion of West Side in a two bedroom house where he threw wild and crazy parties just about every weekend when he wasn't out somewhere else. A couple of windows were shattered and there was a split in the wood of the front door, but I knew that Joker didn't care; the house had been similar to this when the two of us were still dating. I listened to the loud music playing from inside of the house as I beat my fist on the cracked door.  
  
The music almost instantly died as the door opened only a crack when Joker glanced out before allowing me to enter the musty, alcohol-scented house. I sighed softly, sitting down on the couch, listening to the springs groan under my weight as he threw me a drink before dropping down into the recliner. “So what brought you all the way down here to see little 'ol me?” His face was slightly red and I could tell that he was on the verge of being drunk as his words slurred as he spoke.  
  
I rolled my eyes, throwing back most of the brown liquid, and saying, “Do you have anything stronger than this cheap shit; it fucking tastes like water.” He threw a smirk towards my way before standing up and wandering into the kitchen. I could hear him rummaging around in the cabinets before wandering back into the living room with a bottle filled with amber liquid and two shot-glasses.  
  
He sat them down on the table in front of me with a little bit of force, saying, “First you ignore my question and then you ask for strong liquor, something must have really crawled up your ass if you came here after I told you clearly to go fu-” I jerked the bottle from his prosthetic, skeleton hand and he glared at me with those purple eyes.  
  
“Do you ever shut up?” I seethed, pouring two shots of whiskey before throwing one back, enjoying the burning sensation in my throat that came from the alcohol. He took the other one as I poured myself another, casually glancing towards him as he dropped down on the couch beside me.  
  
“Y'know,” Joker slurred, “if you get drunk, I'm not letting you walk home. West Side is getting bad and I don't want someone as beautiful as you to end up in a horrid place.” He leaned towards me, a grin plastered on his lips as his orange hair hung around his face. I pushed him away from me, throwing back the next shot before muttering, “Fuck off.” Joker laughed loudly, drinking straight from the bottle before cackling, “You just wait until I get a few drinks into you!”  
  
\---  
  
When I woke up, the first thing I looked for was the clock on the wall. The blurred numbers told me that it was just a little after three in the morning. Joker's body laid on top of me as he was fast asleep. My entire head was spinning in circles from the liquor, but I could almost perfectly remembered what had happened before I passed out.  
  
_My mind was foggy as I danced to the loud music that Joker had playing throughout the house. The bottle of amber liquid was completely empty as I had finished up almost all of the last of it. Joker sat on the couch, staring up at me with a smirk before I sat back down, leaning towards him and slurring, “What are you making that face for?”  
  
He chuckled softly before tapping me on the end of my nose and saying, “You look so sexy when you dance, I miss having you around to party with.” I rolled my eyes at his words, looking away before he grabbed my chin, making me look towards him; it was almost the same gesture that I had used on Ciel so many times.  
  
He stared at me for a long moment before leaning down and kissing my lips roughly. For some reason, I acknowledged the gesture, kissing him back and pulling him closer to me as my fingers wrapped up in his straight, orange hair. The older male moved over before climbing onto my lap, something that I never expected him to do.  
  
My lips moved down his neck, sucking on the sweet spot that I hadn't forgotten about. His breath hitched in his throat as he whined into my ear, “Sebastian, please, fuck me.”_  
  
“Fuck,” I hissed through my teeth as I realized what had happened between the two of us. I had broken my own promise that was made the day I first saw Ciel; I had, had sex with someone that I felt literally nothing for.  
  
I slid out from under the sleeping Joker before pulling on my scattered clothes, noticing the holes that had been torn into my shirt. My fingers ran through my ruffled hair, trying to smooth it down despite my head pounding at the slightest of touches. I grabbed my phone before unlocking it, noticing the alert on the screen. I had a few missed calls from Ciel, but I couldn't bring myself to call him right now; it was late and I had no way to explain where I had went or what I had been doing.  
  
Shaking my head, I closed the messages, opening my contacts instead. I searched through the list for Claude's name before calling the older, yellow-eyed male.  
  
I half-expected to be sent to his voicemail, but instead, he answered with a groggy voice, “ _Sebastian? Why are you calling me at three in the morning?_ ” I knew for a fact that he was agitated because I woke him up, but I needed someone to get me out of here before I got myself into more of a mess.  
  
“I need you to pick me up; I'm at Joker's and I-I'm... Just please get here.” I was begging, almost pleading. I heard him snort with annoyance before he muttered, “ _You're lucky that Alois didn't stay the night. I'm also expecting an explanation after I get there, Sebastian._ ”  
  
“I-I'll be sure to give you one,” I slightly slurred before hanging up. My eyes glanced back at Joker as I slid my phone into my pocket. I stared at the tattoo of a flute on the back of his thigh for only a moment before walking out the door.  
  
\---  
  
I leaned against the brick wall of a nearby alley, my phone in my hand once again, small puffs of smoke occasionally leaving my lips. My thumb was hovering over Ciel's contact information. I wanted to call him, I wanted to hear the sound of his voice so I could apologize and feel horrible for what I did to him; not that I already did.  
  
A sigh escaped my lips as I put out my cancer stick against the brick when Claude's green Ranger pulled up. His yellow eyes burned into me as I climbed into the car, he didn't say anything though. Instead, he just drove down the road, humming and tapping on the steering wheel.  
  
I looked over at him for a moment before I said, “I had sex with Joker; that's why I woke you up at three in the morning.” I caught the shocked look that he held in his eyes even though we sat in almost pitch black lighting.  
  
With my words, he pulled off to the side of the road, putting the car in park, and killing the engine. He pushed his glasses up his nose before saying with an annoyed tone, “Why the hell did you do something like that, Sebastian? Ever since you've laid eyes on Ciel, you've been fascinated with him and the day you start dating him, you go and fuck your worthless ex. Do I need to remind you that Joker dumped you after-”  
  
My hand stung with my anger as I growled, silencing his words, “I know what Joker did to me; I don't need to be reminded. I was drunk and it was all my damned fault. Claude, I almost... fuck... I can't even explain. I... Just take me back home.” He stared at me for a long moment before turning the key in the ignition and muttering, “Alois was going to stay the night, but Ciel called him. After that, he left and didn't give me a clear reason why. I don't know what you did, but I think it may have upset him.”  
  
I was silent on the drive all the way back to the loft, lost in my own thoughts. I didn't want to tell Claude about how I almost wanted to devour my boyfriend. I was terrified that my best friend would end up thinking that I was a freak.  
  
As he pulled up beside the loft building, he looked over at me and said, “I won't make you come clean about what you did to him Sebastian, but we all have our demons and we all make mistakes; it's what makes us human.” His lips held a small smirk and I rubbed my marked hand before he finally muttered, “I'm sure you'll make it up to Ciel somehow.”  
  
I didn't respond to his words as I climbed out of the car, heading up the concrete stairs to the third floor. My hands shook as I unlocked the door, entering my semi-cold home, and running a hand through my hair. I wanted to forget this night; it was an entire mistake.  
  
Switching on the main light, I walked through the house, my heels clicking on the wood floor. I made a beeline towards my room, not even glancing to see if Ciel had left a note for me. There was a feeling in my gut that he wasn't here; I'm sure he went to stay the night with Alois.  
  
As I walked into my room, I found a white, plain piece of paper sitting on my pillow. A sigh escaped my lips when I picked it up, staring at the handwritten, scarlet-inked letter on the back.  
  
_Sebastian Cassius Michaelis_  
  
_It has been quite a while since we have seen one another. It was reported to me that you have been well and I'm thankful for that. I've never wanted to see you hurt, but then again, I was one of the “humans” that helped create the scars that tear down your back. I've also been told that you've been associating with Ciel Phantomhive and I want to prevent even more harm coming to you; stay away from that boy, Sebastian. He shall only cause you harm and I don't want you to get caught up in the little “mess” that is about to begin very, very soon._  
  
_Your mother only wants the best for you, Sebastian._  
  
I dropped the letter on the floor the moment I saw the emblem of the two snakes stamped at the bottom in matching crimson ink. My entire body shook and I collapsed onto the bed, shutting my eyes as tears stung them.  
  
Only one person used my middle name, only two people caused my scars, only one person would claim to be my mother... Had my parents been involved in the cult after all these years? Did they cause Ciel the same amount of pain that they had caused me?  
  
Questions ran over and over in my head as I knew that this case was only going to roll downhill from here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, some things to touch on in this chapter:  
> 1\. Joker and Sebastian aren't the same age. Joker was a senior when Sebastian was a sophomore... and has been since then. Joker is 21 while Sebastian is 18 (as mentioned earlier). Another little fact is Sebastian's birthday is October 30, otherwise known as Devil's Night.  
> 2\. I make a few references once again to the chess pieces, the Circus Arc, and demons/humans, (I'll give someone a cookie if they can catch the exact line).  
> 3\. Sebastian's middle name, Cassius, is a small reference to the famous Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar. The name's origin is Latin and also means "hollow", something that I thought was suit Sebastian quite a bit. 
> 
> I have quite a few things planned for next chapter so keep on the lookout for that. I will also bring up that there will be quite a bit of Alois in it so be expecting that. There will be quite a few more interesting things coming up in the next few chapters, now that the plot has unfurled a little bit further; don't worry, I'll keep you on the ends of your toes. 
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy! 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	17. His Master, Seeking Comfort

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
A black dress shirt hung loosely around my body, the sleeves rolled up my arms, and a towel wrapped around my neck to catch the water dripping from my hair. Sebastian left me here alone after what had happened upstairs. There was something about those red eyes and  _fangs_  that made my skin crawl; it looked as if he wanted to eat me.  
  
I laid back on the bed, burying my face into Sebastian's pillow before noticing the two chess pieces that he had placed on the bedside table. I picked the knight up, staring at it and holding the black piece tightly in my hand before tears began to sting my eyes.  
  
There was something about what Sebastian and I had. Something about it was gnarled and twisted like the branches of an old tree. Our pasts were intertwined in a way that neither of us knew, yet we were drawn together. This connection we had was something neither of us understood, but we took advantage of it.  
  
I grabbed my phone off the table, dialing a number that I had no purpose in remembering. The knight was clutched tighter in my hand as the phone rang until I heard a voice say, “ _Ciel, are you okay_?” There was a slight hint of concern in Alois' voice and I chewed at my lip as I heard Claude's muffled voice in the background.  
  
“I... Can I stay the night with you? Something happened between me and Sebastian and I don't want to be alone. He left and I just want to give him some space.” My voice caught in my throat as I spoke, placing the knight on the red blankets of the bed.  
  
I heard the older blond talking to his boyfriend in the background. Their voices were almost silence before he spoke once again, “ _I'll be there in ten minutes. We can go to my house and stay the night since Mom went out; is that fine with you_?” I gave him a small hum in agreement before the line went dead as Alois ended the call.  
  
I hugged Sebastian's pillow close to my chest for only a moment before climbing off the bed and shoving some clothes into my shoulder bag, pulling on a pair of my boyfriend's baggy sweatpants in the process. I didn't want to leave, but I had to. Sebastian needed the night to clear his had and I needed to give him just that.  
  
My phone vibrated on the bedside table, snapping me out of my thoughts. I picked it up, two text message alerts flashing across the screen; one from an unknown number and the other from Alois.  
  
Alois:  _I'm sitting outside. You can come down whenever you're ready._  
  
My thumb hovered over the other message for a moment, debating on opening it, but instead, I just locked the phone. I grabbed my bag off of the floor, glancing back at the black-cased pillow before grabbing it to take with me. I slipped the glass knight into the pillowcase, heading out of the loft without another glance.  
  
\---  
  
Alois' room was only half the size of the one I had in the townhouse. The area was made up of a deep purple carpet with white walls, a small double bed, a cluttered bookshelf, and a closet. He ran a hand through his hair, mumbling, “I know it's not much, but  _mi casa es su casa_.” His words reminded me of the day Sebastian and I met.  
  
I gave him my small half-smile and said, “It's perfectly fine.” I placed my bag on the floor at the foot of his bed, noticing that the clock read that it was half after eleven. Throwing the pillow onto the bed, I glanced over at the teal-eyed male, muttering, “Do you mind going to bed right now? I've had a pretty rough day and I just want to sleep off the nightmare.”  
  
He stared at me for a long moment before he nodded his head and said, “Yeah, that's fine. I'm going to go take a quick shower, but make yourself at home. Just call if you need me.” The memory of the night Sebastian first kissed me came to mind as he gathered up a set of clothes before walking out of the room. I brought my hand up to my lips, my eye burning under the medical patch.  
  
I pulled back the blankets on the bed, climbing under them before holding the black-cased, cinnamon scented pillowcase to my chest. The room was dark as I flicked off the light, debating on whether or not to take off my eye patch when I went to sleep. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I slipped off the small piece of fabric, dropping it on the floor beside the bed.  
  
My fingers reached into the pillowcase, once again in search of the dark chess piece. As my hand wrapped around it, a sharp sting ran through my eye, causing me to hiss through my teeth. I let go of the piece, placing my hand over the glowing orb until the burn died. Something was going on with Sebastian and I wasn't there to find out what.  
  
I clambered out of the bed before dialing Sebastian's number in a haste. The droning ring went on for what felt like forever until I want sent to voicemail. “ _This is Sebastian Michaelis. I'm busy right now, but leave a message and I'll get right back with you_.” There was a loud beep before I hung up, calling him against only to get the same result.  
  
I pulled the phone away from my ear, hanging up the call without leaving a message. My eyes found the background of Lizzy and I last homecoming. Both of us had donned blue and silver clothing and danced – I was stumbling – the night away. I realized that I hadn't even thought about changing the photo. My eyes glanced away from it for only a moment, noticing that I had a single text from an unknown number.  
  
Unknown:  _My little blackbird flew away..._  
  
I froze in place, the phone hitting the floor as I gritted my teeth. It was  **them**. They had found my phone number; a new way that they were able to torture me. My hand clenched into a fist, causing me to wince as the bandage crumpled together. Angry and fearful tears threatened to fall from my eyes as I chewed at my lip before I heard a voice behind me. “Ciel, I thought you were going to sleep?”  
  
Shutting my right eye, I glanced over at him with my single, cerulean orb. He stood there in a pair of gym shorts, a Nirvana tank top hanging around his skinny frame as his hair was sticking up in a million directions. I picked my phone up from the floor, locking it as he sat down on the edge of the bed. “I can't. I'm worried about Sebastian.”  
  
Even though we sat in almost darkness, I could feel the older blond's expression soften. He moved across the bed towards me, taking my hand in his before he said, “I'm sure he's fine; like you said earlier he needs a little bit of space. Claude has had moments like that before and all I can do is back away and give him some breathing room. Lizzy used to do that with you, you know.”  
  
I looked at him in shock, almost forgetting to hold my marked eye shut. I had never noticed some of the things that Lizzy had done, but now that I think about it, she really wasn't around when I was extremely stressed about a case or happenings with Funtom. Alois nodded his head and I rubbed my shut eye. The violet orb was beginning to grow annoyed with forcefully being held shut.  
  
Alois chuckled softly before muttering, “Claude and Sebastian are a lot alike; maybe that's why they've been friends for so long.” I looked at him for a moment before asking, “What makes you say that?”  
  
“I don't really know how to explain it. When I first me Claude, I thought he was arrogant and cocky; I also caught the same vibe from Sebastian before I really got to know him. Lizzy was actually the one that got me to admit that I was attracted to my boyfriend though. After spending so much time with the two of them I've noticed that parts of their personalities are the same while others cause them to be polar opposites,” he chuckled softly, “It's funny; they deny it, but if you really pay attention you see it.” I nodded my head before grabbing the medical patch off of the floor. I held the soft piece of fabric in my hands, staring at it before he cleared his throat, “Are you ready to sleep now; I'm beat.”  
  
“Yeah, I've got a few thing that I need to do tomorrow,” I said, tying back on the patch before climbing under the covers and snuggling up with Sebastian's pillow. Alois lay beside me before he whispered, “D-Do you mind if I sleep close to you? I haven't enjoyed sleeping alone since my younger brother passed away.”  
  
I rolled over to face him, the only light in the room was coming from the window. His eyes didn't meet mine as I felt empathy for him. I never knew that Alois had a younger brother that had passed away. From the way it seemed, his mother was never home because I knew he spent most nights with either Lizzy or Claude. My chest tightened and I unintentionally pulled him close to me, feeling the pain of the loss of his family. “Yes.”  
  
\---  
  
A sliver of sunlight streaked across the room when I woke up. Alois lay on my chest fast asleep as I ran my fingers through his unruly blond hair. Last night was the first time that I've ever realized that someone had felt the same pain that I did. I felt true, real empathy for another human being.  
  
Alois jumped up, his teal orbs flying open as he stared up at me with wide eyes. His startled expression turned into embarrassment as he muttered, “Sorry, I had a nightmare.” I simply ran a hand through my navy black locks before saying, “It's fine; I have them all the time.”  
  
He sighed softly, climbing out of the bed without a response. A whine almost escaped my lips as I felt cold with the sudden loss of contact. I pulled the blanket close to me and he glanced back before saying, “Come on and get dressed; I want to go get breakfast before morning traffic piles up.” There was a playful smile on his lips as he opened up his closet, pulling out those barely legal green shorts, a black v-neck shirt, thigh highs, and his dark purple coat.  
  
I rolled off the bed, rummaging through my bag, pulling out a tight-fitting, navy shirt and a pair of black jeans. The lock screen on my phone lit up for only a moment, alerting me that I had a missed call, but I pushed it away, pulling on my clothes before dropping it into my pocket. When Alois stepped out of the room, I slipped off the medical patch and glanced over at the mirror as my eye had a faint glimmer to it. I tied on my black silk patch as Alois walked back into the room, slipping on a gold with with a single ruby surrounded by diamonds; a Trancy heirloom that was much like my blue diamond.  
  
“Would you like to go somewhere nearby? I know of a great place that's near my old house,” I said before he ran a hand through his hair and said, “Yeah, I know where you're talking about. That will be fine, but you don't mind walking, do you? I don't have a car and I'm sure that Mom won't be home until late... if she comes home at all.” The last bit of his words were a mere whisper as his eyes didn't meet mine.  
  
“I'm fine with walking, Alois; I mean, it's not too far from here anyways,” I said and he gave me a small smile before pulling on his high heel boots and began prancing out the door, me following close behind him.  
  
\---  
  
Alois and I sat in a small booth in a quaint little restaurant, my fork impaling three chocolate pancakes. The blond picked through the omelet in front of him before mumbling, “That was nice of the owner to pay for our meal. He seemed genuinely concerned for you.”  
  
I chuckled softly before saying, “Agni is the son of one of my father's old friends. Though I don't really know him that well, he always considered me as family. When I was younger, he used to watch over me like a hawk; it was almost a nuisance.” My left eye found the man wiping down the tables before glancing up at me with a soft smile. Agni had inherited the restaurant last year just after his twenty-third birthday and I was amazed that he had kept it up this long.  
  
The bell attached to the door rang and I heard Agni almost shout, “Soma, it's been too long! Who is this lovely young lady with you?” Alois was facing towards the door and I saw his teal eyes slowly grow wide as I heard someone behind me say, “It has been too long; I haven't seen you since I went back to Weston after winter break. This beautiful blond is Elizabeth, a close friend of mine. Lizzy, this is my god-brother, Agni.”  
  
My head whipped around at the mention of Lizzy's name and I saw her standing there in a pale blue dress, this Soma character's arm wrapped around her waist. I was a little shocked by the sight until she glanced my way. “Ciel, Alois, it's nice to see you two here!”  
  
I had no idea what to say. My eye was trained perfectly to the golden eyed male as the duo approached Alois and I. Lizzy slid into the seat beside the blond boy, Soma standing by the table as I picked a chocolate chip off of a pancake. Lizzy played with her gold bangles before she introduced us to the purple haired male. “This is my friend Alois,” she wrapped an arm around the blond's neck before gesturing over to me, “and that's Ciel.” She smiled brightly at the two of us before asking, “Do you mind if we sit here with you guys?”  
  
Alois shook his head, sliding out of his side of the booth before moving over to sit beside me; Soma took his place beside Lizzy before saying, “So you're the Ciel Phantomhive that I've heard so much about.” I simply nodded my head, taking a small bite out of my breakfast.  
  
I could tell that there was something between Lizzy and Soma; it was just the way that they were acting around one another. There was that affectionate look in Lizzy's green eyes as she twirled one blond curl around her finger before reaching for the silver pears that hung around her neck. It was a sinking feeling in my gut, but I knew; I could see it perfectly.  
  
Before I was thrown into an awkward conversation, my phone rang in my pocket. I pulled it out, answering the call before holding the phone up to my ear, “Ciel Phan-”  
  
“ _Ciel, where are you_?” Sebastian said, his voice frantic as I could hear the morning traffic in the background. I bit my lip before stuttering, “I-I'm at the restaurant where we got lunch the other day. What's wrong, Sebastian?”  
  
“ _I don't have time to explain. Stay near a crowd of people, Ciel; I'll be there to get you in fifteen minutes_ ,” he said as my heart began to race in my chest, fear running hot through my veins. I didn't know what was going on and it scared me to death.  
  
“Sebastian, wait-” My voice was silenced as the line went dead and Lizzy stared at me with concern in her jade eyes. My hands shook as Alois asked, “Ciel, are you okay?” I didn't hear him though; my phone vibrated in my hand, alerting me that I had a text from an unknown number.  
  
Unknown:  _Ciel, darling, we're coming for you~_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I feel like this chapter wasn't worth the wait. It was supposed to be posted Friday, but I didn't have the entire chapter written at that point. Saturday I was all tangled up with prom and didn't get home until 12:40 am. Sunday, I didn't wake up until 1-ish and I didn't have any motivation to get up and write. I laid in bed and watched No.6 all day. 
> 
> To highlight some things in this chapter.  
> 1\. I had to have a Cielois moment in this chapter; it had to be done. Besides, I think the two of them would be cute all cuddled up together.  
> 2\. I didn't really know what to do with the relationship of Soma, Ciel, and Agni so I did it as so: Soma is Agni's godbrother (as mentioned in the chapter; Ciel is a family friend of Agni's (also menitoned); as of right now, Ciel and Soma don't really know each other.  
> 3\. On the topic of Soma, in this story he is 19. 
> 
> So, next chapter will probably be a little late so please bear with me. I might take a break from updating this week so I can make sure that you guys will love the next chapter; it all depends on how I feel. 
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy!
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	18. That Butler Savior

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
“Change, dammit!” I shouted, slamming my fists on the steering wheel as I had came to a halt at a stoplight. This morning I had received a picture of Alois and Ciel with a single, simple message attached;  _When my little blackbird flew away..._  My heart pounded in my chest in fear as the light turned green. Ciel was on the other side of town and I needed to get to him before they did; I needed to protect the younger male with my life.  
  
My foot was pressed against the gas pedal as I entered East Side, not caring how fast I was going or who saw what I was doing. I could feel the sting running through my hand as my eyes glowed crimson. The restaurant was still fifteen minutes away and time was slowly running out as each second passed. My eyes kept glancing down at the time ticking on my phone before it began to ring, Claude's picture flashing across the screen.  
  
“Claude, I don't have-” I shouted until he cut me off with his own raised voice, “ _Sebastian, where is Alois? I just got a text from a unknown number with a picture of him and Ciel_.” He sounded panicked and I chewed at my lip. Not only were they targeting Ciel, they were also after Claude's pure blond boyfriend.  
  
“I-I think that they're together. I'm on my way to get Ciel because of the same picture. D-Did your message say anything?” I said, trying to stay as calm as possible. Mother was now attacking my friends; she was now branching out to the people close to Ciel and I.  
  
“Even a spider can become trapped in it's own webs.  _Sebastian, what does that even mean_?” I knew for a fact that he was rubbing the orange, yellow, and black spider that was tattooed to his shoulder with Alois' initials hidden somewhere among the webs. Claude had never taken relationships seriously until Alois popped up in his life. Since then, the younger blond has been one of the most important people in the world.  
  
I passed through another stoplight as I said, “I don't know, Claude. I'll pick up both of them and head right to your apartment. Ciel and I have a slight understanding of what's going on, but I don't know how much I'll be able to tell you and Alois.” Claude hummed softly before he said, “ _Make sure Alois is safe, Sebastian_.”  
  
Our call ended as I turned down the street where the restaurant was located. I took notice of the door standing wide open as I pulled up on the curb, almost leaping out of the Mustang. When I walked into the small shop, I saw Elizabeth with a purple haired male while the owner was cleaning tables, his right hand wrapped up in a bandage.  
  
“S-Sebastian?” I heard Ciel squeak out before he slowly turned around, looking at me from the other side of the booth. His eye patch was hanging loosely on his face with his right, violet eye almost exposed; pained expression held the opposite cerulean orb. I walked closer to my boyfriend when I heard a small cackle before a muffled man's voice spoke, “If you want this blond bitch and your boyfriend to live, I suggest you stay right there, Michaelis.”  
  
I was frozen in my spot when I saw a flash of green eyes as Alois and Ciel were jerked from the booth by a man with a hood and a mask hiding his identity. The cult emblem was imprinted on the back of his jacket as he held a butterfly knife to Ciel's neck. Elizabeth and the other two men held frightful looks in their eyes as the man's grip on Alois tightened and a small drop of blood trailed down Ciel's neck.  
  
I gritted my teeth as the connection burned and my eyes were trained to the pure green eyed captor. My right hand played with the sliver lighter in my pocket as I watched Elizabeth for a moment, noticing that she was silently trying to slip out of her seat. I caught her nodding her head at me before she stood up, legs shaking as she pulled out a knife from a garter under her skirt.  
  
“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to fucking do something?” I growled to the masked male, trying to distract him from the blonde creeping up behind him. His eyes lit up with my words and I could tell that he had a Cheshire grin hiding under his mask. Green Eyes held the knife even closer to my boyfriend's neck and Ciel winced as the blade nipped at the skin. “How about we strike up a deal, Sebastian?”  
  
I continued to flip the lighter in my hand as the barefoot blonde approached the male with what seemed like silent, precise steps; it almost seemed like she had been trained to do this. I tugged at my lip with my teeth before I said, “What do I get out of making a deal with the devil?” Green Eyes laughed and Alois hissed as the grip on him was tightened even more. “I'll let these two go; all you have to do is come with me. Your mother, our all-powerful queen, has been absolutely  **dying**  to see you.”  
  
I held my hands up, walking towards the man as Elizabeth stood right at his back, dagger in hand. When I was two feet from him, I held out my hand, my lighter hidden from his sight before mumbling, “I'll make a deal with you if only you let them go first.”  
  
His eyes bore into me before he flipped his knife closed and let go of Alois, still holding onto Ciel tightly. I gritted my teeth and spat, “I know  **she**  won't be satisfied until she has me; you need to fucking leave Ciel out of this.”  
  
I heard him growl under his mask before he let my boyfriend loose and held out his hand to me. “Let's get this over with, Michaelis.” I took his hand before flicking open the lighter, catching his sleeve on fire and burning his hand and arm.  
  
Green Eyes shouted out a handful of curse-words as he tried to put out his sleeve and capture me at the same time. I easily dodged his attacks as Elizabeth held onto her dagger tightly before stabbing him in the side with force. He lunged at me once more, growling, “Queen Demona will come after all of you. By the time this is all over, you'll be burning in the pits of hell with the rest of the Phantomhives!” He held his hand tightly against his bleeding side and I noticed a white snake tattooed on his left ring finger; the opposing twin of the tattoo that Kasadya had.  
  
Those bright green eyes darted to each of us before he seethed, “See you soon, Michaelis.” At the end of his words, there was a sharp popping sound before smoke filled the room and the man disappeared as if he had never been there.  
  
I coughed as the black fog cleared the room to reveal Elizabeth with a perfectly straight face, Alois trembling with his arms wrapped tightly around himself, both of men with confused expressions, and Ciel sitting on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest and soft whimpers leaving his lips; yet again, another blow to my boyfriend's mental state. I picked him up, holding him close to my chest as he buried his face into my neck.  
  
My fingers slipped off the piece of silk that hung from his head before whispering in his ear, “Don't open your eyes; I'll scare all the monsters that hide in the dark.”  
  
My eyes trailed over the people around me before Elizabeth stuttered, “W-Who was that and what's going on, Sebastian?” The purple haired male held her close as she stared at the knife in her hands before wiping off the blood with a plain white handkerchief. She gave me a perfectly straight-faced look and I was shocked at how calm she was.  
  
“I...” Ciel shuddered in my arms, almost caused me to drop him. I held onto him tightly as my left hand began to prickle with a dull sting. I cleared my throat before speaking, “I'll explain once Ciel is somewhere more comfortable. R-Right now isn't the best time and I need to get Alois to Claude's apartment.” I sighed softly as I walked out the door, Ciel clutching onto my shoulder as if I was going to run away.  
  
There was a storm coming and I could feel it brewing ever so slowly.  
  
\---  
  
I ran my fingers through Ciel's navy black hair as the two of us laid on Claude's bed. I knew that it was best to take the younger male to a more secluded location so that he could have time to calm down and more than likely sleep off the fears that caused his heart to race in his chest. His face was nuzzled into my chest as I lay on my side. It had been almost an hour before his breathing evened out and he unconsciously leaned into my hand each time my fingers played with the silky locks.  
  
When I was almost sure that he had fallen asleep, I placed a soft kiss to his forehead, taking comfort in the warming burn in the mark on my hand. “I'll be back in a little while,  _domine mi_. Right now, I need to try to explain to everyone what's going on and why all of these things are happening. I'll be in the other room so don't worry, I'm only a few steps away.” I climbed off of the bed, trying to be as quiet as possible before slipping out the door and shutting it behind me.  
  
At the end of the hallway was the living room where everyone sat waiting, wanting answers to all of their questions. I didn't know if I'd be able to share all of the information with them or if I could even trust these people, my friends, at all; Kasadya had been a perfect example of that.  
  
I took a deep breath before stepping into the room only to meet Elizabeth's red, puffy eyes. Her calm demeanor has snapped once her and Soma, her boyfriend, had arrived. She and Alois were curled up with one another on the couch, Claude and Soma sitting nearby. No one spoke, but all eyes were on me as I took a seat in one of the barstools next to the kitchen.  
  
“I-Is he okay?” Elizabeth mumbled, her lip quivering as she twisted her fingers into what seemed like knots. Genuine worry sat in her expression and I saw her knife laying on the table placed in it's clean black sheath. I stared at those watery, jade green eyes for a moment before I said, “He will be; Ciel just needs a little bit of rest and he'll be back to his normal self.”  
  
She stared at me a moment longer before there was a loud cracking sound as Alois broke the candy off of the stick of his lollipop. “Who was that man and how did he know your mother?” He snapped and I cringed at the mention of  **her**  title. I knew Claude could sense my discomfort as his golden eyes watched me carefully, picking apart my reaction piece by every little damned piece. I sighed softly, shutting my eyes and wincing; I could almost feel the whip cracking into my back all over again.  
  
“I-I can't fully tell the story and how I know all of this, but it's believed that, that man and my... mother belong to a group that running loose in this city. T-T-This group is somehow connected to both mine and Ciel's pasts and these people are,” I chewed at my lip, not able to find my words, “They're involved in the disappearance of Lydia Victoria, Bryce Hansel, Grelle Sutcliff, Hannah Anafeloz, William Spears, and three other students from Royal High.” I stopped, deciding that they didn't need to know anymore in the event that there was a rat sitting among us.  
  
My fingers were wrapped up in my raven locks when Claude said, “They're coming after us now, aren't they?” I looked up at my golden eyed friend and slowly nodded my head before whispering, “M-Mother won't give up until she has Ciel and I right where she wants us.”  
  
\---  
  
Steaming hot water ran down my body as I massaged my neck, pulling my hair away from my face. I had the slightest idea where Ciel and I was going to take the case next. We had no idea where the cult was located and with that man's threat, we had hit a dead end street. On top of this case, both of my parents were possibly lurking in the shadows, only to make me glance over my shoulder at every waking moment. The thought of seeing their faces again made me cringe; I didn't want to face my past just yet.  
  
I shut off the water before climbing out of the hot shower and drying off. Slipping on a pair of black sweatpants, I ran the towel through my hair before I glanced up at the mirror. My eyes were once again glowing crimson before I opened my mouth to reveal sharp, pointed incisors. There was something about this look that I felt so much more comfortable in, but it quickly faded away as I finished drying my hair and heading out of the bathroom.  
  
Ciel laid on the bed playing with his phone. After what had happened earlier, he had kept to himself and hadn't said much. He didn't glance up at me as I laid down on the mattress and I took notice of the chessboard on his screen. One of my long, bony fingers played with a strand of his hair and he looked up at me finally, that violet eyes glowing brightly.  
  
“Is there any way that I can convince you to save that game for later?” I asked and I heard the lock on his phone click before he placed it on the beside table. My eyes trailed from his bicolored eyes down to his lips before looking at him again. “Are you feeling better?” The question had left my mouth without a second thought before he nodded his head, placing a feather soft kiss on my lips. He smirked when he pulled away, not saying a word. He had a certain look in his eyes though; a look that was daring me to do something.  
  
I pulled him close to me before whispering in his ear, “Why do I have a feeling that you're trying to play a  _game_  with _me_?” His smirk turned into his signature half-smile before I kissed him, his tongue quickly tangling with mine; I could taste chocolate and the faintest hint of strawberries on his soft lips.  
  
Ciel whined as my lips left his as I placed kisses on his jaw and ear before trailing down to the soft, pale flesh of his neck. There was something about the way he melted in my touch that made my head spin with desire. I wanted to make him  **mine** ; that was all I ever wanted. My fingers played with the buttons of his nightshirt, slowly undoing them as he gasped at the feeling of my burning skin on his chest and stomach.  
  
“Tell me to stop if you don't feel comfortable,” I whispered against his collarbone as my fingers played with the hem of his boxers for a moment before I rubbed him through the thin, navy fabric; I knew that he was enjoying every moment of this. “S-Sebastian, please,” he moaned as he moved against my hand. I was astonished that he was begging, almost pleading, for me to touch him. My lips curled into a devious smile before I whispered, “Anything for you,  _domine mi_.”  
  
Ciel's lips found mine in the dim lighting as my fingers played with the waistband of his underwear before I slid my hand down the front of them. I sucked at the slightly bruised skin of his shoulder as a breathy moan escaped those already parted lips, my hand wrapped around his aching erection.  
  
The doorbell rang loudly throughout the house and Ciel whined as I pulled my hand out of his boxers, kissing down his chest and stomach. I looked up at his lidded, mismatched eyes as the doorbell rang again, followed by the sound of someone beating their fist on the wood echoing throughout the open space.  
  
“Motherfucker,” I cursed under my breath as I pulled away from the lust-ridden Ciel who continued to writhe and moan before sliding his hand into his underwear. I tried to hide my own hard-on as my feet pattered across the wood floor, heading towards the entrance of the loft.  
  
Without even checking to see who was on the other side, I unlocked the door, almost throwing it open as I growled, “What in the fuck do you want at this time of night?!” I could feel my eyes glowing, but it quickly faded as I recognized the person who stood in front of me.  
  
My eyes ran over dirt and blood covered skin before I found their bright green eyes; ones that were strangely too familiar. Her long red hair was in utter tangles and her dress was torn, unlike the way it was at the party. Grelle stared at me for a moment before whispering, “Sebastian,” and collapsed in front of me.  
  
My reddish-brown eyes grew wide as I picked her up before carrying her over to the could and yelling, “Ciel, I need your help!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the chapter that you all have been waiting for. I did update a day early because I knew that some of you would be counting the days, but I also did it because I have a friend staying with me tomorrow night and I won't be online.
> 
> Last week was spent writing character descriptions and relations, deciding what I wanted to to do next, what characters I want to bring in next, etc. It gave me time to clear my head and set me on a closer path to finishing this story. I'm hoping that you all will stay to see the ending of Deal With the Devil, but hey, you never know when something may come up.
> 
> Two short, final things: I did not put a reference to the story title in this chapter. Also, a little bit of teasing SebaCiel.


	19. His Master, Crimson

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
I laid on the bed, waiting for Sebastian's return, my body feeling all too sensitive because of his touches. A high-pitched whine escaped my lips as my hand was wrapped around my erection, trying to relieve myself from my pent up arousal. I moaned loudly before I heard Sebastian's shout that pulled me back into reality, “Ciel, I need your help!”  
  
I ran through the house only to find Sebastian standing behind the couch, looking down at a figure that laid on the black leather. Taking cautious steps, I caught a flash of dirty crimson hair and my eyes grew wide. This was one of the missing students; this was Grelle Sutcliff.  
  
“I-I just opened the door and she was standing there before she fainted. Ciel, what if she escaped from them? What if she knows their possible weaknesses?” The older male said and I shook my head before saying, “That isn't something we should worry about right now, Sebastian. Grelle needs to be taken care of; these wounds need to be treated and she needs to rest. There's no telling what she's been through these past few days.” He sighed softly, nodding his head before heading upstairs to grab the first aid kid and a wet washcloth to clean off the dirt that stained the redhead's pale skin.  
  
My bicolored eyes stared down at Grelle, taking in every fine detail of her being. One of her glasses lenses was cracked and she missed a skull that hung from the chain attached to it. Her short dress was covered in stains, the skirt in mere tatters. A frown crossed my lips as I suddenly felt sick to my stomach; the cult had treated her the same way they had treated me when I was only ten.  
  
My hand was balled up in a fist as red slowly crept across my vision; I was enraged to see what they had done to her. I grabbed the novel that I had left on the coffee table and flung it at the wall without a second thought. The sound of the hardback book hitting the wall echoed through the loft and Sebastian glanced down at me from the upper floor, eyes glowing crimson.  
  
“Ciel, are you okay?” He asked as my violet eyes prickled with a slight sting. My blood was boiling and all I could do was stare at the book that lay on the wood floor. They were going to pay for every last thing that they did to me. I was going to be the one who made sure that the damned cult crumbled into microscopic fragments and never returned again. I gritted my teeth, kicking the book halfway across the room, and listened to it hit the wall. A hand was placed on my shoulder and I slapped it away, muttering, “Don't touch me.”  
  
My eye stung as I turned around to look at Sebastian. He stood there, picking me apart with those reddish-brown eyes before he sighed, “That temper is going to get the best of you,  _domine mi_.” A familiar look flashed in his eyes for only a moment and I shivered; it faded away quickly though as Sebastian turned his attention to Grellle.  
  
I shut my eyes tightly as I felt the sting grow stronger before fading away altogether. The change in my personality, the rage, had meant something; it had brought out something that was all too familiar between Sebastian and I and it made my skin crawl. Walking across the room, I picked the book up off of the floor before staring at the cover, lost in my thoughts as I questioned whether or not there was something more to mine and the older male's connection.  
  
\---  
  
My forked picked through a slice of strawberry shortcake as I listened to Sebastian tuning his guitar downstairs. It was just past five in the morning and the only thing we had gotten out of Grelle was a couple of whines and some violent thrashing around in her sleep. I had spent most of the time pacing around in annoyance while my boyfriend hadn't spoken a single word after he gave me  _that_  specific look. I shuddered at the thought of it, dropping a piece of cake into my lap. “Dammit,” I muttered as Sebastian walked up the stairs, chuckled when he saw me. “Your cake getting the best of you?”  
  
I glared at the older male with my single blue eye. I had been forced to cover the marked one upon Grelle's arrival; not everyone needed to know my secret. He smiled softly, kissing my temple before saying, “I'm just picking on you, Ciel.” My eye found his reddish-brown ones for a moment before he placed a cigarette between his lips and lit it, his voice taking a more serious tone, “How did you do after you escaped.”  
  
Sebastian's back was to me as he spoke and looked over at him, concern in my eyes as I caught glimpse of the scars on his back. We were not only dealing with the people that had hurt me; this case, these events brought back horrible memories for me, but also for him. He cleared his throat, tapping the ashes from the cigarette into a nearby jar before saying, “How did you continue living after whatever they did to you, Ciel?” His words had rendered me speechless and all I could do was stare at the male. How would I even go about answering such a question?  
  
“M-My idea of revenge kept me going,” I finally stuttered out, “I wanted to find who ruined the Phantomhive name and destroy them.” I held the fork tightly in my hand when the older male finally turned around, those crimson eyes staring at me as he smiled a thin, sharp-toothed smile. I caught the sadistic look in his eyes, but it quickly faded away when the two of us heard a small voice from downstairs. “S-Sebastian? Sebastian, where are you?”  
  
I watched my lanky boyfriend rush downstairs and I leaned against the railing, staring at the quivering ginger below.  
  
When Grelle's eyes found Sebastian, she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck before bursting into tears and sobbing out incoherent words. My arms were crossed in front of my chest as I watched the scene below before walking away to rummage through the fridge, pulling out a box of leftover takeout and two bottles of water.  
  
I walked downstairs only for the redhead's eyes to meet mine; the green orbs were watery, her pale face red and tear-stained. I held up the food before walking towards her and placing it on the coffee table beside the two bottles. With a quick movement, Grelle grabbed the food and began devouring the small box of shrimp and pasta. Sebastian's eyes met mine for only a moment and I knew that we needed to question the crimson-haired female without causing her to shatter to pieces in front of us. She glanced between the two of us before slurping up the last noodle behind her pointed teeth.  
  
My boyfriend placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and said, “Grelle, Ciel and I need to ask you a few questions about where you've been; are you okay with that?” His voice was soft and laced with a tone that was sickly sweet. I chewed at my lip as her eyes darted over to me for only a moment as she played with that lonesome chainsaw earring before nodding her head and spoke with a cracked voice, “I-I'll answer anything you need to know; anything that will help rescue the others.”  
  
Sebastian glanced at me for only a moment before nodding his head. I cleared my throat, meeting Grelle's yellow-green eyes before saying, “How did you get away from them?” She shut her eyes, playing with the hem of her stained crimson dress. “They kept saying that someone was watching them too closely. The leader, a woman who had wine-colored eyes, said that they needed to change the location where they were holding us prisoners. I-I'm not entirely sure where we were being moved to because I escaped on the way there. I-Is this the reason why you brought me in for questioning back at school?” She spoke between sips of water and I saw the raw marks on her wrists from where her hands had been tied together.  
  
I ignored her question, knowing that I wasn't able to share the information even though she was witness. “W-Where were they holding you before?” I stuttered, remembering the metal chains on my wrists as they held me in a small cage. Sebastian watched me carefully and my eye began to burn under the silk fabric as I simply shook my head, waiting for Grelle's answer.  
  
“They,” she glanced down for a moment, wrapping her dress around her finger before continuing, “They kept us in an abandoned motel on West Side; if I'm right, the name of it was Real Reina. They tried to keep us two to a room, but eventually, I was merged in with the other girls and we were watched over by someone with pure white eyes.” I simply frowned while Sebastian scowled before muttering, “Kasadya.”  
  
Grelle's eyes were trained to the floor as I twisted my family's rings around my fingers. I listened as she sniffled before she said softly, “Ciel, did they...” her words trailed off and I looked up at her before she swallowed and continued, “They kept talking about you and how you escaped, but is it true that they...?” She stared at me with a knowing look in her eyes as I tensed up. She knew; they had told her and the others what they did to me; how they sold me into prostitution only for me to escape halfway.  
  
I stared at her in shock, shaking before I stood up and said, “I-I need a mo-” My words were cut off as I dropped to my knees, my legs suddenly feeling like they were made out of Jell-O. Everything around me became fuzzy as I felt a set of warm hands on me and I thrashed around, feeling  _their_  hands on me.  
  
“Get your filthy fucking hands off of me!”  
  
My shout rang throughout the loft as my vision cleared once again. Sebastian leaned over me, red eyes glowing as he stared at me, worried. I blinked a few times, tears sliding down my cheeks as he whispered to me, “Ciel, what did they do to you?”  
  
I shook my head before I curled up in his arms, unable to speak as the memories of those few weeks just ran over and over through my mind. I could still feel the searing heat of being branded, the gritty concrete floor under my knees, the cold bars of my cage, and their taunting whispers in my ears.  
  
I pushed Sebastian away from me before saying, “Don't touch me,” and walking upstairs to take a steaming hot bath to wash away the dirty, horrid memories of  _them_.  
  
\---  
  
_Watchdog,  
I apologize for not being in contact with you or Mr. Michaelis these past few days; things have been hectic trying to keep the school from realizing that students are beginning to go missing. I also apologize for what happened about your home or any other trouble that this case may cause you, if you continue with pursuing it. If you do decide to continue, I would like a report from either your or Mr. Michaelis tomorrow. I will be more than happy to assist you in any way possible during this time of hardship, Ciel. Do please contact me if you need to discuss any matters further.  
The Queen_  
  
I bit the inside of my cheek as I read over the message on my laptop, the case files sitting around me as I tried to make sense of everything. Sebastian took Grelle back to her parents' house before he went to work this morning, leaving me alone at the loft. My eyes filed between Victoria's email, the screen-shots of the messages sent from the cult, the letter from Sebastian's mother, the missing student's files, and the two glass chess pieces that sat on the other side of the table. Each item had a meaning, a hidden clue, on where the case was supposed to go next and the only thing that Sebastian and I could follow was the information that Grelle had shared with us.  
  
I shut my eyes, placing my head on the cool wood of the coffee table, and sighed; this was the first time that I had, had no idea what to do next. My phone vibrated on the table beside me and I glanced up before unlocking the device. An alert was on my screen, notifying me that I had a voicemail and a multimedia message. Blankly, I stared at the screen before checking the text.  
  
Unknown:  _I know something you don't know~_  
  
Attached to the message a video taken through a grimy, cracked window. The camera shook as I saw two figures inside the house before a single piece of glass was knocked out and the camera was placed in the hole, revealing who was inside. Sebastian,  _my_  Sebastian, was on a couch having sex with a man who had spiky orange hair. I stared in horror before I heard a high-pitched, giggle, “ _Even your precious Sebastian doesn't want you, Ciel_.” I dropped the phone on the floor, tears stinging my eyes as the video continued playing.  
  
This video was taken the night that I had stayed with Alois. Sebastian had went to this man's house to “clear his head.” I heard the man cry out Sebastian's name as tears ran down my face and picked up the phone, pausing the video and staring at the frozen image for only a moment before opening the home screen. I locked the phone, placing my head on the coffee table once again, my body shaking.  
  
I thought Sebastian felt something for me? I thought he may have loved me... My heart beat against my chest at the thought of love. I remember telling Sebastian that there was a hole in my chest and I didn't think that I've had the ability to love since my parents' death, but I felt something more for Sebastian than I did Lizzy; maybe this feeling was love...  
  
I sat up, grabbing my phone off of the the table, and unlocked it only to receive the same notification that said that I had a voicemail. I opened the inbox after putting in the passcode only to hear the typical, statical noise as the message opening message played. “ _Sent today at 11:03 a.m._ ” I waited for only a moment before Alois' voice filled the speaker, “ _Ciel, you need to get over here quickly. Something's happened to Lizzy; she's in the hospital_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Exams are one thing that causes me to have writer's block; that's the reason why this chapter is short (and ends abruptly) this week. With Grelle's return into the story, I've decided to add a little bit more plot to keep the story rolling. I apologize for having a short chapter this week; like I said, I've been having exams. All I have is this week and next Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and school shall be over for me.
> 
> At the moment, I'm debating on doing a chapter in Alois' point of view. Yes, next chapter is supposed to be Sebastian's, but due to the fact that Ciel is a little pissed at him right now, I think I'm going to wait with giving him another chapter for now.
> 
> Fun Fact: The motel where Grelle was being held is Royal Queen in Spanish. I've came to notice that I use a lot of different languages in this story.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy! 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	20. That Trancy, Seeking Revenge

-Alois' Point of View-  
  
Claude's fingers ran through my disheveled blond hair as the two of us laid across his bed. At the moment, we were debating whether or not to go somewhere this lovely Sunday morning or just lay curled up under the covers. I lay across his chest, listening to his heartbeat as my eyes fell shut when Claude's fingers caught a tangle.  
  
My teal eyes found my boyfriend's before I said, “Do you want to go to the park or maybe the movies? I-I just don't want to lay around all day, knowing that we'll be stuck in school all day tomorrow.” My fingers traced over the web of his tattoo, teal eyes finding the three miniscule letters: AHT.  
  
Claude's golden eyes watched me in amusement before I picked up his glasses from the bedside table and laid me down on the pillows before he sat up. I pushed my hair back away from my face and smiled when he tapped me on the thigh and said, “Get up and get dressed. As much as you look naked in my bed, if you want to go out, you're going to have to put on some clothes.” A soft smirk toyed his lips as he kissed my forehead before walking out of the room.  
  
From the day that Claude and I met, I had, had a feeling that there was something between the two of us. There was something about the way his yellow eyes met mine on that chilly September day; the way that he held that signature, slightly sadistic smirk for only a moment before walking away. That was the day that I knew that I was in love with the cocky, smartass named Claude Donovan Faustus.  
  
\---  
  
I glanced over at my boyfriend as he drove down the crowded streets of East Side. Remains of my breakfast was abandoned in a wrapper on my lap as I hummed along with the song that was playing on the radio. We were on the way to the mall to shop for prom; Lizzy and I were supposed to go yesterday, but after what had happened at the restaurant, she didn't think that it was safe for either of us to go out on our own.  
  
“What colors should we wear?” I asked, picking up a piece of leftover biscuit and popped it into my mouth. My eyes glanced over the chipping spiderwebs on my red nails, thinking about the conversation that my best friend and I had the other day. Quickly, my eyes lit up and I said “Claude, what do you think about dark purple; it would bring out your eyes perfectly.” A soft sigh escaped my lips and I looked towards him with a smile on my lips.  
  
His golden eyes were trained perfectly to the road as he drove through downtown East Side. He remained expressionless for only a few moments before he said, “I'll leave that up to you, your Highness. To be truthful, I've never cared much for prom. The only reason why I'm going is just for you.” A smile hinted at his lips as he chuckled. Once again, I picked my my biscuit, smiling softly before saying, “Purple it is, then.”  
  
As the Ranger was pulled into the mall parking lot, Lizzy's name flashed across my phone's screen. Quickly, I answered the call, holding the phone up to my ear. Claude looked towards me as he put the car in park and I said, “Hey, babe. What are you up to?”  
  
“A-Alois,” Soma said, his voice sounding out of breath and frantic, “Lizzy... she's on the way to the hospital; she's been stabbed.” My heart stopped with his words and tears welled up in my eyes as I stuttered, “I-I'm on my way there right now.” Tears broke free from my eyes as I looked over at Claude. “Baby, wha-” he began, but I cut him off, trying to choke back my tears, “We need to go to the hospital. L-Lizzy... sh-she's been stabbed.”  
  
\---  
  
Soma and I sat side by side in the emergency room; he was leaning forward on his knees, looking down at the floor. Lizzy's parents were currently with the blonde, trying their best to piece together what had happened. Multiple scenarios ran over and over in my head as I laid back against the wall, shutting my eyes as a memory from four years ago made itself known.  
  
_”Come on, Luka!” I shouted as my six year old brother and I wandered down an alley on the outskirts of West Side. Mother had left me in charge to watch the younger male and I thought that this was the time to take him out of the house and show him a little bit of the real world. Luka followed slowly behind me, his eyes following every crack on the sidewalk carefully.  
  
I pushed open a door of an old building, carefully walking inside and searching for dangers that I needed to warn my younger brother to look out for. Glass crackled under my feet and I glanced back at his big brown eyes, saying, “Watch where you step; there's broken glass all over the floor. I don't want you to get hurt.” He nodded his head before following close behind me, his hand holding onto the back of my shirt tightly.  
  
Mother had always kept Luka sheltered after I had an accident when I was his age that landed me in the hospital; she always feared the same thing might happen to him.  
  
The two of us wandered up a rusted, metal staircase and when my eyes found the second floor, I ran across the dusty tiles, yelling, “Let's go to the roof; Luka, you can almost see the entire city from up there!” He stared at me for a long moment, frightened, before he mumbled, “I'll be brave just for you big brother.”  
  
I held his hand tightly, pulling him towards the staircase once again. The stairs shook slightly as we ran up them and after we made it up to the fifth and final floor, I took notice that Luka wasn't behind me anymore. I looked around frantically before running down the steps, “Luka, if you're scared we don't have to go. W-We can go home and I'll grab a few cookies out of the jar for us to share; I won't tell Mom that we ate a few.”  
  
My eyes desperately searched the dirt and dust floor when I noticed that there was only one set of footprints; mine. My heart stopped in my chest when I realized that my brother hadn't even made it to the fourth floor. Tears welled up in my eyes as I yelled, running down the stairs, “Luka! Luka, I'm sorry! It's okay if you're scared; you don't have to be brave for me!”  
  
I tripped on the last few steps, landing onto the floor and cutting my hands on the shards of glass that littered the tile. Tears ran down my face as I stood up and saw three different sets of footprints trailing across the floor, two of them going down a nearby hallway. My legs shook as I walked across the floor, heading towards the hall, my voice almost a whisper, “Lu-Luka... We need to go home; Mom w-will be there in a little bit and she'll be upset if she knows that we left.”  
  
The hall was cold and I glanced in the rooms only to find shattered windows, abandoned furniture, and office supplies. When I arrived at the last room on the right, my legs buckled under me. Laying on the floor was my brother, my _ baby  _brother, in a pool of crimson. All I could do was stare at the mop of ginger hair before I crawled across the ground, pulling his head into my lap and crying, “Luka, wake up. W-We n-need to get home. M-M-Mama is going to worry about us.”  
  
Those big brown eyes were glazed over as I saw the rips in the fabric of his clothes. A small knife laid next to his foot, the silver glinting in a small stream of sunlight. I ran my fingers through his hair as tears dripped down onto his bloody, tanned skin.  
  
“Luka, wake up.”_  
  
I wiped my eyes and nudged Soma lightly, his golden eyes looking at me as he played with a gold bracelet that was on his wrist. Lizzy's silver pearls were wrapped around his right hand and I gave him a look of sympathy as I said, “She'll be fine; she's a fighter. Once, when we were in elementary school, there was a bully that kicked dirt into my eyes. Lizzy stood up for me and she hit him right in the mouth. He never messed with me after that.” A small smile hinted his lips for a moment before he said, “That sounds like something Lizzy would do.”  
  
A slight smile held my face before I said to him, “Are you and Lizzy together? I'm sorry to pry about it, I just know that she recently broke up with Ciel and I just want to watch out for her; she's my best friend and I want the best for her.” Soma stared at me for a long moment before he rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, “I-It's not anything official, but I do care for her a lot. She has a strong will and I admire it, but I don't know if she'd be interested in a relationship after being with Ciel for so long.”  
  
I hummed softly in agreement before running a hand through my blond locks. Claude took a seat beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders before he handed me a chocolate bar that he had bought out of the nearby vending machine. I leaned against his shoulder, sighing softly when Ciel walked into the emergency room, his one cerulean orb frantic. He rushed towards us as I took a bite out of my treat and he panted, “I-Is she okay?”  
  
“We haven't heard anything yet. Francis and Alexis are with her right now and we're still trying to figure out what exactly happened...” Soma said, his words trailing off as he looked down at the floor. From my understanding, he was the one that found her in an alley not too far from his apartment. His shirt was covered in her blood and Ciel stared at him with worry in that one blue eye. I chewed at my lip as Ciel said, “I'm sorry that it took me so long, I didn't get your voicemail until a little while ago.” I glanced up at him and said, “We're going to be here a while so I suggest you take a seat.”  
  
He simply nodded his head, sitting down across from me before putting his face in his hands. The day that Lizzy and Ciel became a couple, I knew that they felt the urge to protect one another. When Lizzy started high school, she began practicing fencing more often and Ciel made the occasional arrangement for Lizzy to have an escort home if he had to work after school. It was the little things that I had took notice of, but neither of them had actually acknowledged the actions.  
  
I leaned against Claude's shoulder and whispered into his ear, “Would you protect me even if it cost you your life?” My boyfriend stared over at me for a moment and whispered, “In a heartbeat, your Highness.” A soft smile met my lips for only a few seconds when I shut my eyes and sighed softly, knowing that my boyfriend was more than likely the right one for me.  
  
\---  
  
It was just past two in the afternoon when we were finally allowed in to see Lizzy. Francis was a little skeptical about the whole situation, but after Alexis walked in to see all of us sitting in the waiting room, he knew that he needed to let us in to see her; he knew how much we, me especially, cared about her.  
  
Lizzy laid on the bed, a smile on her face; they had put her more painkillers than I cared to talk about. Ciel and I stood by her bedside as she held my hand tightly, smiling at me as she said, “Do you know how much I love you two?” She giggled as I glanced up at Ciel, shrugging my shoulders at him before I said, “I know, baby. Right now though, we need to know who did this to you; can you tell me that much?”  
  
She looked as if she was in thought for a moment before she said, “H-He had hair that was two colors and these bright green eyes. N-Now that I think about it, he k-kind of reminds me of the guy from yesterday; he even had the same knife, the one with the green handle. Alois, my body hurts...” A frown crossed Lizzy's lips as she lifted up her gown just a tiny bit to show the bandages that covered the wounds on her body. Mine and Ciel's first instinct was to look away, but after I realized that she was wearing shorts under the gown our eyes traveled over the gauze.  
  
Six wounds covered her body and even though I wasn't able to see them, I knew that the knife had punctured deep into her pale white skin. Ciel's cerulean orb looked shocked as I began to shake, tears welling up in my eyes. Each wound was identical to the ones that Luka had received when he was murdered. My grip tightened on Lizzy's hand and she looked up at me with those jade eyes and asked, “What's the matter, babe?”  
  
I turned away from the two, my entire body shaking. All I could see was the dusty tile floor with crimson spreading across it, my brother's mop of red hair, his glazed over brown eyes, and that silver knife shining in the sunlight.  **They** had did this to my brother and  **they**  had did this to my best friend. The only thing that I had to go on with my notion was what Sebastian had told us yesterday about this “group” that was running loose in the city. I shut my eyes and shook my head before murmuring, “I'm going to find them,” my voice became raised in almost an instant, “I'm going to find them and I'm going to kill them for what they've done... They've ruined my life, they've hurt my friends, and they're going to fucking pay for what they did!”  
  
My legs gave out under me and I collapsed to the floor as Ciel ran over to me, getting down on one knee before he whispered, “Don't worry, Alois. Sebastian and I are going to find them. They've done horrible things to everyone... including me.” He didn't look directly at me as if he had memories of his mind and I placed my forehead against his arm, sobbing, “I want to be there when you find them and I want to make sure that, that green eyed man suffers painfully.”  
  
At the end of my words, my tongue began to sting and I bit down on it, trying to stop the pain. Claude could feel what I felt, he always had; he could feel my grief, my pain, my suffering all because of a connection that we shared. I knew that he was probably rubbing his hand, trying to stop the feeling of the emotions that were running through my blood. A soft sigh escaped my lips as I shut my eyes and whispered, “They're going to pay.”  
  
\---  
  
It was eight o'clock as I stood in a graveyard just outside West Side. Claude was leaning against his Ranger as I held a bundle of fake red roses in my hand. Slowly, I approached a small grave that sat not too far from where my father and my stepfather were buried. I dropped down to my knees, running my hand over the marker and read the engraved words:  
  
_Luka Amael Macken_  
 _Born: December 13th, 2005_  
 _Died: September 19th, 2011_  
 _Forever in our hearts, a beautiful little angel._  
  
I placed the roses on top of the marker before smiling softly and said, “You've been in my mind a lot today, baby brother. I just thought I'd let you know that Mother is doing well and I've been happy with Claude. You don't have to worry about me, I have friends watching out for me, but I think I may be finding who hurt you very soon. I hope that you don't see the pain that they may cause me, but I will avenge your death, baby brother; trust me on that. I love you... I hope you don't forget that.” My fingers ran over the engraving once again and I glanced back at Claude, his pupils in cat-like slits, eyes glowing fuchsia. I gave him a soft smile before walking over to him, giving him a tight hug, and saying, “I love you.”  
  
My boyfriend placed a kiss on my forehead and whispered, “I love you more, your Highness.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, chapter twenty is here already. So, my main focus is my blond baby and pieces of his life. I've been wanting to do an Alois chapter since I wrote Lizzy's, but I didn't have the perfect chance until now. So, I'm sure you guys have learned a little bit of Alois' past and something things that are happening right now. 
> 
> Fun facts for the chapter:  
> 1\. Yes, I made Claude use the "your Highness" phrase. It's only fair because Sebastian says "my lord" in Latin to Ciel all of the time.  
> 2\. Alois' middle name is Holden. The meaning of the name is "hollow," much like Sebastian's middle name. This wasn't intentional, truth be told, I just thought the name suited the blond baby.  
> 3\. Claude's middle name, Donovan, means "dark."  
> 4\. Luka's middle name, Amael, means "angel." The name comes from the archangel who governs virtues and the month of December (which is why I chose Luka's birthday to be in the wintry month. 
> 
> I do apologize for the chapter being slightly late. I'm currently working on a cowrite on Mibba so I'll be juggling two stories for the time being. 
> 
> Also, this chapter is dedicated to the lovely nitorai here on Archive of Our Own. I know that she wanted a chapter featuring Alois and I was more than happy to fulfill that request. I hope you enjoy this chapter, darling! 
> 
> Kudos/Comment/Enjoy! 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	21. His Master, Restless

It was just after five in the evening when I sat in Lizzy's hospital room beside her mother. Lizzy was currently sitting up on her bed with Soma by her side. The two of them were forehead to forehead as he whispered softly to her, probably telling her how bad he felt for her getting hurt and how much he cared about her. A half-smile crossed my lips as I glanced away, knowing that she probably wouldn't be in this situation if the two of us were still together.  
  
“You shouldn't blame yourself, Ciel,” Francis said as if she had read my mind and I glanced over at her. Even though she always carried a strict demeanor, her jade eyes were soft as she looked at the two. She knew as well as I did that Soma made her daughter happy; happier than I would have ever been able to. I twisted my gold ring around my middle finger before saying, “I was supposed to be there to protect her; I always have.”  
  
She looked over at me before sighing, “You're just like your father; as stubborn as ever.” She shook her head and smiled softly. “I have to admit though, I miss Vincent and Rachel quite a bit. Your parents were good people, Ciel; it doesn't matter what other people say about them.” Her gaze quickly moved back to Soma and Lizzy and I sighed, “At least he's able to give her the one thing that I can't.”  
  
Francis didn't say anything, she just looked over at me for a moment as the two of us watched the purple haired male place the blonde's silver pearls back around her neck. Her pale fingers reaching up to touch them for only a moment, a smile spreading across her lips as she glanced over at me and her mother. I stood up, walking over to the older female and said softly, “I have to go take care of a few things back at Sebastian's place; I promise I'll come see you tomorrow.”  
  
She nodded her head and I reached down kissing her temple as she mumbled, “I love you, Ciel. Tell Sebastian I said hello.” I looked down at her for a moment before my gaze found Soma's. “Be sure to watch over her for me.” There was the slightest hint of a threat in my voice, but he simply nodded his head before I began to head out of the hospital, not knowing where exactly to go.  
  
I still have over three hours before The Devil's Playlist closed up shop and I had no idea what to do. Tomorrow, I was expected to go back to school and deliver a report to Victoria, but I didn't want to reveal to her the information about the cult; if I did, I would have to talk about my past and what they did to me when I was only a child; I wasn't ready to tell someone everything, not even Sebastian.  
  
My feet carried me down the busy evening streets of East Side with my hands shoved in my jacket pockets. The air was slightly chilly as I passed by people, ignoring how some of them stared at my eye patch as if they had never seen one before; I was used to it though because it's not everyday you see a kid with his right eye hidden and possibly disfigured. I pulled out my phone, dialing my driver's number before holding the device up to my ear and listening to the droning ring.  
  
“ _Good evening, Mr. Phantomhive_ ,” Baldroy's voice came through the speaker. I chewed at my lip before saying, “I hope you're not busy. I'm at the East Side hospital and I need a ride back to Sebastian's loft. Do you mind coming to get me?” The line was silent for a moment and I walked back towards the hospital's entrance as he said, “ _I'll be there in about twenty minutes. If I don't see you, I'll give you a call_.”  
  
I hung up the phone before taking a seat on the bench outside of the emergency room. There were people coming and going through the building and stared at some of the frightened faces as they rushed loved ones through the doors. My eyes eventually found my phone's screen as I scrolled through the messages, looking down at the video once again. I couldn't believe that Sebastian had cheated on me with this orange-haired male whose name was currently unknown. As the video played for the second time today, I shuddered before exiting the app and placing my face in my hands.  
  
So many questions ran over and over in my mind as I shut my eyes. Who was the man that Sebastian cheated on me with? Why was Lizzy stabbed? What was I going to say when I confronted Sebastian? How were we going to find the missing students? How were we going to solve the case when both of us were hiding the puzzle pieces of our pasts? Slowly, I was developing a slight migraine as the black company car pulled up on the curb and Bard called out to me.  
  
I just wanted to go home and sleep and simply forget everything.  
  
\---  
  
Around nine, the rain began to pour; lightning streaked the air and thunder rumbled loudly as I ran down the streets of West Side, two boxes of Chinese takeout in my hands. The cold precipitation began to soak my thin shirt and I almost slipped on the concrete sidewalk. I was just over a block away from the loft and as a flash of lightening ripped through the air, I jumped before sprinting down the street. I had always hated thunderstorms, but the fear grew even worse after the night that my parents were killed. Whenever one came, I would always hide away in my room, curled up under the blanket as I tried to keep my heart from racing out of my chest.  
  
My shoes smacked against the concrete stairs of the loft building, almost dropping one of the cartons of food as I ran down the corridor where Sebastian's loft was located. Rain pattered onto the ground, turning the gray stone darker than what it already was and frigid drops of water splashed against my side as I unlocked the loft's door, walking through the entrance just as another thunderclap filled the air.  
  
I wandered through the loft in the dark, sitting the food down on the coffee table before pulling off my soaking wet shirt and dropping it onto the wood floor. I sat down on the couch, running a hand through my hair and trying to pull it away from my face when I heard a voice from the kitchen say, “I was amazed when I got home and didn't find you here. How is Elizabeth?”  
  
My head whipped around to see Sebastian standing there in the dim light coming from the kitchen upstairs, a slight smirk on his face as he held a cigarette between his thin lips. He was in his usual pair of sweatpants with his hair pulled back away from his face. My face flushed red at the sight as I stuttered, “S-she's better than she was before. I-I didn't know you were going to be home.” His reddish-brown eyes stared at me, confused, before he said, “Ciel, the shop closes at eight; you should know this.”  
  
My face grew even redder as I stuttered, “Oh, I forg-” My words were cut off by a loud clap of thunder and my voice turned into a loud squeak causing my boyfriend to begin to walk down the steps. “Are you okay? You look pale,  _domine mi_.” I shook my head, glancing up at those reddish-brown eyes and all I could think about was the thunderstorm that was plaguing the night. I wanted to run into his arms and bury my face into his baggy shirt, but at the same time, I wanted to stay away in fear of him shattering what little of a heart I had with his infidelity.  
  
“I-I'm fine.” My words caught in my throat as I spoke and he reached out his hand towards me as I backed away. He looked at me with a confused expression before he said, “Ciel, what's wrong?” A clap of thunder drowned his words as lightning barely lit up the room through the frosted glass windows. I unlocked my phone with shaking hands before throwing it at him and saying, “Watch the video.”  
  
I winced as it played, listening to the man call out my boyfriend's name, the moans coming from the both of them, and that one sinister voice, “ _Even your precious Sebastian doesn't want you, Ciel_.” His eyes widened as another flash of lightning come through the window, lighting the room for only a mere second. I slipped off my eye patch, placing it on the coffee table before staring at him; a violent sting running through my marked eye. “Ciel, I know this looks bad, bu-”  
  
“Shut up,” I snapped, cutting him off as anger suddenly flared through my body, “I don't want to hear the 'I can explain' line. I order you to tell me who he is.” I quickly noticed his hand glowing and his eyes flashed crimson for a moment in annoyance as he hissed, “Joker, my ex boyfriend,” acting as if he had to force the words out of his throat. I cringed as another thunderclap split through the air, thinking about how he had been mentioned to me once before from Claude; he had told me that they were getting too close at that party last week.  
  
I shut my eyes, shaking my head before Sebastian walked towards me, reaching his hand out to me. “Don't you dare touch me,” I growled before I turned my back to him and said, “Did you ever feel anything towards me, Sebastian, or are you just saying that so you can just make a fool out of me like everyone else has?” My past flashed through my mind; even when I was a child, everyone treated me as if I was flawed, something different from everything else. My hands clenched into fists as hatred flowed deep through my blood; was he any different from the ones that ruined my family name? Was he just toying with me for the fun of it?  
  
“Ciel, I would never do anything like that to you because I-I...” He trailed off as if he wasn't able to say what was on his mind. I turned around and stared at him for a long moment, his reddish-brown eyes looking desperately at me before he said three words that numbed my entire body; the anger had disappeared and it was almost like the thunderstorm had never existed. “I love you.”  
  
I didn't know how to respond. Love was such a strong word, but would he say it if he didn't mean it? I stared at him with wide eyes before he stuttered out, “Ciel, I-I swear on my life that y-you mean everything to me. I want to help you find the people who did this to your family, to you, and I want them to pay as much as you do. Please, please don't hate me; I was scared and I was drunk and Joker was there and it just happened. All I could think about though was you; you were the most important thing that sat in my mind, not Joker. I swear on my life,  _domine mi_ , I love you.” He looked at me frantically before I sat down on the couch, staring at the wall.  
  
Did I love him?  _Could_  I love him? Sebastian walked over, kneeling in front of me before he lightly shook me, trying to snap me out of this state that I was trapped in. Thoughts were running circles in my mind before he kissed my lips softly, jerking me back into reality as I wrapped my arms around his neck, trying to pull him closer to me. My heart was beating so fast that it almost hurt and when we separated from one another, I whispered, “One day, I'll be able to say the same to you. P-Promise me that you won't go to him for those reasons again, Sebastian.”  
  
My eye glowed dimly between the two of us before his lips brushed against mine as he whispered, “Never will I ever again, Ciel.”  
  
\---  
  
I sat at one of the indoor lunch tables, picking at a piece of strawberry cake that sat in front of me. It felt so strange sitting alone, but Alois didn't come to school because of Lizzy and Sebastian was currently giving our report to Victoria. I had opted out of giving the report this time around because of the fact that I didn't know how to put into words that there was a cult running around in the city without revealing mine or Sebastian's pasts. Placing the fork down on the table, I pulled out my phone and checked my messages, only to see a text from Alois.  
  
Alois:  _They're releasing Lizzy from the hospital today. She wants to see you if you're not doing anything this evening. I'm making plans for all of us to go to dinner._  
  
A half-smile spread across my lips at the thought of it, but I decided to ask Sebastian first if he had to work before texting Alois back. I ran a hand through my navy black hair before tightening the knot of my eye patch. Just as I picked up my fork once again to take another bite out of the cake, a girl with short brown hair and a dust of freckles on her nose approached me with shaking hands. “Are you Ciel Phantomhive?” Her blue eyes held a frightened look as I glanced up at her and nodded my head. She handed me a single white envelope and said, “I-I was told to give this to you.”  
  
As I went to thank her, she scurried off and I stared at her before flipping over the envelope only to see my name written in cursive script with small thorns wrapping around some of the letters. I ripped open the back, finding a letter that was neatly tucked inside before reading over the scripted words.  
  
_Ciel Phantomhive,  
  
I know that this is sudden and I may not be a person that you shall trust very well, but I have some information that could be dire to your case. There are certain people in West and East Side that I've gained information from and I'll be more than happy to pass it on to you; I fear that I will be one of the people who will be kidnapped very soon. If you are interested in finding out what I know, I shall be over in East Side tonight near your previous home; I'll be there until eight and you can't miss me; I'm the girl dressed in all white. Hope to see you then.  
  
Doll_  
  
My eyes scanned over the message once again. This person, Doll, knew about the case, knew about the kidnappings, and claimed to have information that would be useful to mine and Sebastian's case. My thumb traced over the small rose that was drawn next to the signature, debating whether or not I should go and meet this person. There were pros and cons to the situation, but even if I did go, would I be able to trust the information that was handed off to me.  
  
I stuck my fork into the cake sitting in front of me once again before taking a bite. Sebastian and I didn't have much to go on with the description of Lizzy's attacker being vague and the two of us not having time to look into Grelle's motel. My hand ran through my hair once again before I sighed. It's been almost two weeks since this case began and I knew Victoria was beginning to grow restless with her granddaughter being missing for so long.  
  
From the beginning this case has been strange. It's revealed pieces of Sebastian's past and has hinted at mine quite a bit, but there seemed like there was so much more to the story. There was something about this case that didn't add up and we needed to piece the puzzle together perfectly. I shook my head before pulling out my phone, sending Sebastian a text message.  
  
_I think I just found us a new lead._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://mistress-phantomhive.tumblr.com/post/120478495104/i-lost-my-best-friend-today-written-may-30th
> 
> I apologize if the chapter this week seems weak; even though it's summer break, I've been quite busy with my beta reader duties (on Mibba) and I suffered a loss of a pet (copy and paste the link above). I promise though that next week's chapter is going to get a little more interesting.
> 
> I've finally added another character that I enjoyed quite a bit in the Kuroshitsuji universe so be looking forward to that, lovelies. I don't have much more to say for this week, but like I said, this story will be getting really interesting soon.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy/Feel free to follow me on tumblr
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	22. That Butler, Information

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
“Are you sure you want to do this, Ciel? We don't know if we can exactly trust this person. On top of that, she's going by an alias; for all we know, she might be with the cult,” I asked, glancing over at my boyfriend. At the moment, we were on the way to have dinner with Alois, Claude, Soma, and Elizabeth. Ciel was insisting that we leave by seven so we could meet with “Doll” and find out what she knows.  
  
“I'm positive, Sebastian. Besides, I'll be keeping you nearby in the shadows in case she tries to attack me. I know it's a risk, but what if she isn't with them; what if she truly knows something about them that could help us find the others? I mean, the only lead we have right now is that motel and we don't know whether or not we're going to find anything there,” he said, fiddling with the eye patch that was currently sitting in his lap. I knew that it was an annoyance to him throughout the day and now, he took it off at every chance he got.  
  
I rolled my eyes, sighing softly as my eyes met his, “Victoria gave us the day off tomorrow so we could actually see if there was anything there for us to go on. Now, I don't like the idea of us going to meet her, but since you're hellbent on it, I suppose I have no choice.” A smirk spread across his lips as I looked at him in the corner of my eye before focusing on the road, thinking about how I had to find a way around a few of Victoria's questions earlier.  
  
_“Mr. Michaelis, I'm amazed that you're here alone. Is Ciel okay?” Victoria asked the moment her eyes fell on me. I clutched the manila folder tightly in my hand before I nodded my head. “Yes, he's fine; once again we figured that it was better for me to give this report for the sake of Ciel. There's been so many things that have been flung at us in the past week.”_  
  
_She raised an eyebrow at me before saying, “Like what?”_  
  
_“Well... You know that Ciel's house burnt down and his ex-girlfriend was stabbed yesterday and is currently in the hospital; one of the missing students also ended up on my doorstep just the other night-” I said, only to be cut off by Victoria._  
  
_“Who? Which one?” Her eyes held a frantic look and I handed her my written report before saying, “Grelle Sutcliff; she was battered, bruised, and she didn't remember much of what has happened since she disappeared. Ciel and I have come to the conclusion though that there's some sort of group in the area that are the culprit of the kidnappings. Grelle gave Ciel and I a small lead and we'd like to go check it out tomorrow, if you don't mind, of course.”_  
  
_Her silver-blue eyes stared at me for a long moment before she nodded her head. “Anything that will bring Lydia back to me, I'll allow it.”_  
  
Yes, I had gave her a small hint that there was a cult in the area, but I hadn't brought up mine or Ciel's pasts and she hadn't asked me again about the emblem that we saw on the singed photograph of my boyfriend and his parents. I looked over at him once again as he was texting someone before he said, “Do you have anything against eating Mexican?”  
  
“Not at all. I'm sure that was Alois' choice of all places,” I said, chuckling as Ciel's mismatched eyes glanced over at me as he softly hummed before saying, “Alois just sent me a text message that said,  _Olé_.”  
  
\---  
  
I sat at the dinner table twiddling my thumbs. It was almost six thirty and Ciel and I still have to drive halfway across town to get to the shell of what used to be his home. He sat next to me, eating a churro while having the occasional conversation with Elizabeth and Alois; I had taken notice though that he hadn't said much since receiving the sweet. He leaned against my arm as I checked my phone once again, making sure that we'd have time to get there to speak with Doll.  
  
“What's on your mind, Sebastian? You seem like you're ready to get out here,” Claude said, raising an eyebrow at me before glancing over at Alois for only a moment. He rubbed the back of his left hand, his black nails slightly digging into the skin before his yellow eyes met mine once again. “Ciel and I need to be home soon; he has paperwork that has to be done by tomorrow morning and I don't want him staying up all night.”  
  
Ciel glanced over at me with that single blue orb before Elizabeth said, “Don't let us hold you too long, Ciel. I know how important Funtom is to you and with Easter coming up so soon, I'm sure you don't want all of the paperwork to pile up as your sales increase with the holiday.” The blonde gave her ex a small smile before my boyfriend looked over at me and said, “Are you ready to leave, Sebastian?” I gave him a small nod before he pulled out his wallet, taking out enough money to pay for our food and the tip.  
  
Claude gave me a small look that said,  _I know you two are up to something_  and I gave him a wink, pushing up my chair as Ciel said goodbye to Alois and Elizabeth before taking my hand and leading me towards the exit of the restaurant.  
  
As I drove down the semi-crowded East Side streets, Ciel played on his phone, glancing over at me every now and again before a smirk spread across his lips, “You know what you said wasn't entirely a lie; I do have paperwork that has be filled out and given my signature.” I chuckled softly before I held his hand, my thumb running over his fingers as he stared at me with that one blue eye before he whispered, “You're going to protect me, right Sebastian?”  
  
“Of course. What made you ask that question?” I said, taking my eyes off of the road for a moment to look over at him. He pulled off the silk eye patch before his eye glowed dimly, “Like you said earlier, we don't know what to expect when we meet Doll. I-I just want to make sure that you won't turn your back on me if things turn bad.”  
  
My grip on his hand tightened the slightest before I said, “I'll be standing nearby, out of sight, but close enough to where I can hear what's going on. I promise that I'll be there for you, Ciel; always.” A small half-smile crossed his lips before he tied back on the eye patch and looked back down at his phone once again, his attention turning back to his abandoned game.  
  
The rest of the ride over to the townhouse was silent with the exception of the radio playing in the background. I parked a block away so that Doll wouldn't know that I had came with the younger male; I didn't want her to run off before we found out anything. He gripped my hand tightly as the two of us walked down the road before he dialed my number to set up a connection between us so I could hear everything that was going on between the two of them. I gave Ciel a light kiss before walking down a nearby alley and leaning against a brick wall, holding my phone up to my ear.  
  
“ _Ah, Ciel Phantomhive. I've been waiting on you for quite a while now. I was beginning to think that you weren't coming_ ,” A girl's sickly-sweet voice said and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I had, had a bad feeling about this from the beginning, but I knew that I had to at least give her a chance before running in.  
  
“ _I presume that you're Doll. I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible so could you give me this information that you claim to have and then the two of us can be on our merry way_?” My boyfriend said, almost sounding like someone a barely knew. I could feel my eyes burning for only a moment before it faded away with the next statement from Doll, “ _You're just as cold as I heard you are. No matter what you think, I do stay true to my word; I do have information that is crucial to Victoria's little case that you're trying to solve. How much do you happen to know about the cult_?”  
  
Ciel was hesitant to respond, but I could almost understand why. “ _Not that much... I know that they are behind people being the kidnapped and they all fall under the rule of someone called Demona_.” I bit my lip at my mother's name, a slight sting running through my hand as Ciel was remembering parts of his own past.  
  
“ _I figured that you would have found out more by now. Your cult is named Serpentine and it was originally started by Demona's husband, Lucius Michaelis; he passed away a couple of years ago for unknown reasons. There are people in the city who act like normal citizens, they're called reapers, who collect information for others to set up drug deals, human trafficking, and just about some of the nastiest, most inhumane things that you could ever think of_ ,” Doll said as another rush of Ciel's emotions ran through my hand, causing me to cringe. I bit my lip so hard that I could taste copper; my parents had started this cult, they had kidnapped Ciel when he was a child, they had killed his parents, and Mother was the one in charge of everything that was going on right now.  
  
My hand turned into a fist and I growled, punching the brick wall, cracking it in an instant, that didn't matter though; what mattered was the fact that my parents were the reason behind all of Ciel's pain and suffering. Not only had they hurt me at one part of my life, they had also hurt my boyfriend. This was how mine and Ciel's pasts intertwined, all because of what my parents had done.  
  
Doll must have taken notice in Ciel's frightened expression as she said, “ _I've heard rumors of the things that have happened to you in the past, but I won't ask about it. Most of what I've found out is about the cult itself, but there was one piece of information that I heard yesterday that I knew I needed to tell you about; one of their reapers is close with one of your acquaintances and there's a good chance that either they'll be kidnapped or someone close to them shall be kidnapped_.”  
  
“ _H-How do I know that I can trust your word? How do I know that you're not a part of them_?” Ciel stuttered as another sting ran through my hand. I heard her softly chuckle, her voice getting closer to the phone, “ _Because of this_.” Ciel gasped as the phone hit the ground, ending the call at an instant.  
  
Before I could even comprehend what I was doing, I was standing in the soot and ashes, staring at girl in a pure white dress with a wig to match. Her blue eyes bore into me as she held Ciel close to her and I approached the pair, my eyes burning. My boyfriend whipped around to look at me before he said softly, “Calm down, Sebastian. She hasn't done anything to harm me, sh-she just shocked me.” I stared at her for a moment before she turned around, revealing a brand similar to Ciel's. She had attempted to cover it with a rose and thorn tattoo, but it cut in the middle of the black vine as if the artist had feared of touching the scar.  
  
“They sold me into prostitution when I was twelve. Somehow I managed to escape, but not before I was forced to...” She looked away, blinking away her tears before she looked at me and smiled. “I have heard rumors that you have someone watching over you, Ciel, but I wasn't expecting someone like Sebastian to be on your side; Demona's son, of all people.” I glared at her before I snapped, “I haven't seen or spoken to my mother since I was eight. Her and my father used to beat me senseless and I will never forgive them for that. How in the hell do you know us anyways?”  
  
Doll gave me a soft smile before saying, “I know quite a bit about everyone in this city; let's just say that I tend to observe my surroundings very, very well,” she looked at Ciel, continuing, “I will attempt to find more information for your case, but I can't promise that it will be much. It's taken me months to get as much as I've told you. If I need to contact you, I will do it through the girl who gave you my letter; the two of us are incredibly close. I wish you two the best until the next time we meet.”  
  
She left almost as if she had never been there and I glanced down at Ciel. His hands were shaking and I held him close to me, kissing his forehead before whispering, “Come on, let's go home. I know that this was a lot to take in, but it's going to push us forward; we'll be able to find them and finally put an end to what they've done. You want that, right darling?” Slowly, he nodded his head and I picked him up, carrying him out of the ash, and began to head back to the car.  
  
My hand stung at the thought of my parents, but I ignored it, trying to put my focus on Ciel and how he was the one that needed my full attention at the moment. From what Doll had said, the cult was behind so many crimes, but I was curious of what exactly Ciel had been through in those few weeks that he had been held captive by them and how exactly he ended up escaping.  
  
\---  
  
I sat up the next morning, running a hand through my tangled hair before I glanced over at Ciel. He was curled up in a tight ball, the pillow held close to his chest. A small smile crossed my lips before I ran a hand through his hair and climbed off of the bed, pulling on a shirt that was thrown in the floor. I grabbed my pack of cigarettes off of the coffee table, only to look up at the clock and notice that it was quarter after eleven.  
  
When Ciel and I got home last night, I went to take a shower and told him that I would be downstairs in a little bit; last night was one of those nights where he was clingy because he was upset. He was reluctant to let go of me, but when he did, I gave him a kiss on the forehead and left him to sit on the bed. As I came down the stairs, I noticed that it was too quiet and I found him curled up on the bed, fast asleep.  
  
A soft smile spread across my lips as I lit my cancer stick, inhaling the sweet poison into my lungs before taking a seat on the couch. Today, we needed to go check out Grelle's motel and see if there was anything that could lead to where the members of Serpentine went with their hostages. My hand burned slightly as I glanced back at Ciel who was rubbing his sleep filled eyes and yawning. “Good morning, sleepyhead.”  
  
His bi-colored eyes stared at me for a moment before he slid off of the bed, grabbing a change of clothes before he muttered, “I'm going to go take a bath.” He drug his feet as he walked towards the stairs before I said, “Is there anything you want for breakfast? I can make something or run down the street and pick something up if you'd like.” He just simply waved his hand before disappearing into the upper level of the loft, shutting the bathroom door behind him.  
  
I took another drag of my cigarette before stubbing it out on a small ashtray that I had sitting nearby. Laying across the couch for a moment, I thought of what Ciel and I may see when we arrived at the run down, abandoned motel, but I tried to shake away the horrible thoughts and images. My boyfriend didn't need another mental breakdown; he had, had enough already for three people.  
  
A soft sigh escaped my lips before I wandered upstairs, opening up the fridge and pulling out two eggs and grabbed my frying pan out of the cabinet. I knew that the two of us couldn't go exploring without breakfast and I'm sure Ciel didn't want something greasy from a local fast food restaurant, then again, he was stick thin and I knew he ate more Taco Bell than he probably should; he had told me that after his aunt had passed away, he started going out to eat almost every night unless he attempted to cook without burning the house down or was going over to Elizabeth's for dinner. I cracked the eggs before dropping them onto the buttered frying pan and tossed the shells into the trash.  
  
It didn't take me long to make two omelets and place them on our plates before setting them at the table. I grabbed myself a beer out of the fridge, taking a couple of sips of it and smoking yet another cigarette before I heard Ciel's voice call for me from the bathroom. I walked towards the door, knocking on it quietly before I said, “Do you need me to come in there?”  
  
There was the sound of water sloshing as if he was sitting up quickly before I heard his voice squeak out, “I-If you don't mind; a-as long as the same thing doesn't happen as last time.” I cringed, thinking about what he meant. The first and last time I had seen him without clothes was the night that I had turned into something that I didn't understand. I had hoped that it wasn't going to happen again, but I was somewhat curious what Ciel needed me for.  
  
When I opened the door, I found a wet mop of navy black hair among a mass of bubbles. My boyfriend sat up a little bit more, looking towards my way before he said, “I was lonely. You don't mind sitting in here with me, do you?” I saw a single rubber ducky floating in the water and he poked it ever so lightly before he stared at me with those two-colored eyes.  
  
“Well, whenever you get done with your bath, I made breakfast. After we eat, we need to head over to the motel; it's a little over twenty minutes from here,” I said, taking a seat next to the tub before swiping a finger through the bubbles, blowing them off and watching as they floated in the air for a moment before landing back onto the pile. Ciel didn't say anything, he just watched me very carefully, almost as if he was afraid that I'd jump at him like last time. I glanced up at him and said, “Ciel, I won't do it again. You can stop watching me like that; I'm in control of what I'm doing.”  
  
He looked away from me, a blush dusting his cheeks before he mumbled, “I'm sorry. T-The look you gave me last time just frightened me beyond belief.” He leaned against the side of the tub, letting off a sigh. I ran my marked hand through his hair, having the sudden sense of déjà vu. I pulled my hand away before my boyfriend looked over at me and asked, “Sebastian, are you okay?”  
  
“Y-Yeah, I'm fine,” I said, glancing away from him before standing up and walking over to the mirror. The dark urge was running through my body once again and I knew that I needed to try to get away from Ciel before it got the best of me. I clenched my hands into fists as I stared at my reflection, noticing the pointed incisors and crimson eyes. I shut my eyes tightly, gripping the sink before I heard the water slosh as Ciel stood up, grabbing the towel nearby, and asking me, “Sebastian, are you sure you're okay?”  
  
I held my hand up, trying to get him to not come towards me, but instead, he grabbed my arm, causing me to look over at him. His violet eye glowed brightly as he looked up at me before he said, “Sebas-” He wasn't able to finish his sentence as this monstrous side took over.  
  
I grabbed my boyfriend's face, kissing him roughly as he fought against me for only a moment. He moaned into the kiss and I pulled him close to me as he tugged at my hair. He wrapped his legs around my waist, the towel falling to the floor as I groaned, kissing down his neck before leaving a single, bruising bite mark. His mismatched eyes went wide as I growled, black feathers falling lightly onto the bathroom tile, “Ciel, I want to  **fuck**  you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truly, I thought this chapter was going to be late this week because life caught up to me and I was in a rough place for a few days. I fought through it though because I wanted to do a great chapter for you guys and I feel like I did; this is the first time in a while since I've reached over 3,000 words. Also, I left you guys off with a pretty good cliffhanger in my opinion so be prepared for next week; you never know what I'll throw into a chapter!
> 
> And yes, I did throw a certain Alois joke/reference in this chapter. I had to.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy  
> I want to mention that feedback, really, really keeps me motivated, but I want to thank you all for over 1,000 reads. When I woke up and found that a few mornings ago, I almost cried. Thank you and I hope that you guys stick around to see the end! 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	23. His Master, Evidence

My naked body was wrapped around Sebastian as he kissed down my neck before leaving a single bite mark on the pale, fragile skin. I winced, moaning softly before his said a single phrase that caused my eyes to go wide. “Ciel, I want to  **fuck**  you.” His eyes glowed a dark red and I took notice in the small black feathers that were floating down from thin air. “Se-Sebastian, I don't think-”  
  
“What is it, Ciel? Do you not want me?” He mocked me as I cringed. He had turned into the thing that I feared he would. When I allowed him to come into the bathroom, I was testing to see if it would bring out this “monstrous” side of him; fearfully, I had been correct. There was something about me being so exposed, so left out in the open that caused this other side to break free from his self-control and run rampant.  
  
“I-It's no-not that, S-Sebastian, it's j-just that I don... don't think th-that we're ready f-for th... this kind of thing,” I gasped and moaned as he peppered kisses down my neck, nipping at me occasionally. He held my small frame tight against him as I pitifully tried to fight away from his grip. It was true; I didn't think we were ready; truth be told,  _I_  wasn't ready. A single downy feather landed on my shoulder, causing me to shiver as it tickled and I stared at his crimson eyes, scared.  
  
He kissed my shoulder softly before sinking his teeth into my pale flesh, causing me to hiss in pain as he broke the skin. “Fuck!” I shouted, trying to break free, only for him to wrap his arms tighter around me. He pulled away, a devious smile on his lips as he whispered in my ear, “I love it when you scream, Ciel.” Tears were in my eyes as I repeatedly hit him with closed fists and yelled, “Let go of me. Fucking let go of me. Goddammit, Sebastian! I order you to let go of me!”  
  
Before I even realized it, my back hit the white tile of the bathroom floor. I groaned in pain, looking up at him as those red eyes stared down at me before fading back to their usual reddish-brown. The floor was covered in black feathers and I slowly sat up, hissing through my teeth as I rubbed my shoulder. Sebastian seemed to be frozen in his spot as I picked up one of the pieces of black fluff, looking up at him before grabbing a nearby towel and wrapped it around my waist as I stood up, staring at him with narrow eyes. “Don't you ever, ever fucking do that again.”  
  
I jerked my clothes off the edge of the sink before walking out of the room and stomped down the stairs. I walked into the bedroom, taking a seat on the bed before putting my face in my hands, shaking. No one had treated me like that in years;  _they_  had treated me like this; they had kept me trapped in a cage, unable to fend for myself. I grabbed my notebook that was sitting on the edge of the bed before slinging it at the wall, gritting my teeth. There was a loud crashing noise that came from upstairs before I heard Sebastian yell, “Fuck,” at the top of his lungs.  
  
Neither of us could understand what exactly happened, but at the same time, we were both upset, trying to piece together the puzzle of Sebastian's suddenly demonic side.  
  
\---  
  
The two of us didn't talk on the way over to the motel. The car was in complete silence, not counting Sebastian's radio playing a music from a nearby station. He had killed every bit of conversation that I had tried to start; all I could do was stare at my hands, my eyes focusing mostly on my rings. My blue diamond glinted in the sunlight and I twisted it around my thumb, glancing at Sebastian in the corner of my eye every now and again. I knew that he was angry – I could feel it through our connection – and he was gripping the steering wheel tightly as if it was my fault that he acted the way that he did. In a sense though, it was; I was the one who asked him to come into the bathroom and I was the one that was testing him.  
  
Sebastian drove the car through an open fence gate before parking it in what used to be the motel's parking lot. The two of us climbed out of the car before he said with his back turned to me, “Make sure you take pictures of anything that could possibly lead us to them. I want to get this over with as soon as possible.” His voice sounded as if he didn't want to speak to me and I balled my hands into fists, before growling in annoyance, “You know, if you really want to get this over with, we're going to have to work together. I don't give a shit if you're angry at me or yourself, but you're not the only one who wants to put an end to Serpentine and you know that for a fact, Sebastian. Now, stop being an asshole and start paying attention to whatever the fuck I say.” He turned around for a moment, looking at me with those reddish-brown eyes before walking towards the entrance, me following behind him.  
  
The inside of the motel was dark and extremely run-down; I felt like it was that way before it was shut down. I could tell that people had scavenged for items to sell; there was holes ripped into the walls, soiled mattresses thrown in random spots, light fixtures hung well below where they were supposed to be, and glass lay shattered across the floors. The flash on my camera lit up most of the rooms and Sebastian looked back at me every once and a while to make sure that I was okay.  
  
At the end of the second floor, we found the three rooms that the cult had used as their “headquarters” before they had left. There was one room where the cult members stayed; two mattresses placed upon the floor, a new blanket, and newspaper clippings tacked to the wall about me, Funtom, Principal Victoria, and yellowing papers about Sebastian's grandfather before his death. My eyes scanned over each of them as my boyfriend picked up another silver pin with Serpentine's symbol. He showed it to me and I held it in my hands, remembering just days before a similar pin had been coated in my blood.  
  
In the next room, there was a single mattress with clothes and items spread across the floor. I leaned down, glass crackling under my feet, and searched through the items. There was scraps of woman's clothing, a few pieces of jewelry, and a purse that held a journal. I picked up a single necklace that a crown charm hung off of before noticing the engraving on the back, “ _Princess Victoria_ ” My eyes instantly found Sebastian's before I handed him the necklace, muttering, “It's Lydia's; I can't tell if any of them are still alive, but most of their clothes were stripped from them and left here.”  
  
He grabbed the journal off of the floor, staring at it for a moment before opening it and glancing over it before handing it off to me. I stared at the words for a moment, reading them aloud:  
  
“ _I've been with them for only a few days and I know that they're mad. They've forced us to do horrid things and they've said that soon enough we'll be sold off to other people for different reasons. They keep speaking of someone with a strange last name, Phantom-something, speaking of the awful things they did to him and something about how they're after him right now for some reason that I cannot explain._  
  
“ _I don't know how long I'll be able to hold onto this journal and I fear that they'll take it away because I've been recording everything that has happened to each of us girls and the very few guys here. Please, please allow us to escape soon; I don't know how much time we'll have left. I just want to_ ”  
  
I looked up at my boyfriend, placing the journal in my bag, before I said, “I fear that Hannah Anafeloz is dead.” His reddish-brown eyes stared down at me before he helped me off of the floor, wandering into the next room to find it in a similar state as the girl's. I picked up a pair of glasses that sat in the floor, glancing over them before placing them gently back down on top of the pile of clothes; some things we couldn't bring with us because they wouldn't help find them any sooner.  
  
Sebastian had taken notice of a small bloodstain on the dirty beige carpet; it wasn't big enough to kill a person, but it was still a lot of blood for one little place. I couldn't tell if it was fresh or not, but I took a picture of it before he stood back up, turning around to look at me. Lydia's necklace was wrapped around his hand and he said softly, “We need to find them soon, Ciel. If that journal is right, they could be sold off to someone else to do who the hell knows what to them.” With his words, I cringed, thinking about how I was sold into a prostitution ring for a large sum of money.  
  
I turned to walk out of the room when I heard a small cackle, causing Sebastian to step in front of me as if he was trying to protect me. The two of us slowly exited the room and that's when I saw Kasadya standing at the end of the hall; she gripped a butterfly knife with a green handle tightly in her hand before saying, “It's nice to see you once again, Sebastian, Ciel.” Her white eyes watched us closely before Sebastian growled, “What do you want, Kasadya?”  
  
A cocky smile crossed her lips before she flipped the knife shut, taking a couple of steps towards us. Sebastian held his arms up, holding me back when she said, “Why are you protecting that little brat, Sebastian. You could have so much more if you joined us; you'd be next in line to be Serpentine's leader. Your mother misses you and you wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt.” She moved her hands as she spoke, flipping the knife open once again before saying, “Besides, in the end, the Phantomhive name will seize to exist; why not give him up now?”  
  
“Sebastian...” I whispered softly, my eye stinging as he clenched his marked hand into a fist. His body was tensed up as he snapped at her, “Why in the hell would I do something as stupid as that? Do you really think that I would drop down on my knees and worship my mother as if she was a fucking god? I would never do anything like that to Ciel and if you try to lay a hand on him, I'll make sure you'll end up like your boyfriend.”  
  
Her expression turned to pure rage as she ran towards him, my boyfriend to pushing me backwards, causing me to fall and land on the ground. He easily dodged her slashes as if he was one step ahead of her and she seethed, “You shut the fuck up about him.” I stumbled, trying to stand up and hide in one of the rooms when she aimed the blade at me, severing the strap of my eye patch and barely missing my right eye.  
  
The piece of fabric fluttered to the floor, my violet eye glowing brightly as Kasadya's white eyes grew wide as she stared at me. Sebastian grabbed her, pinning her arms behind her back and throwing her against the wall as she gritted her teeth. “So the rumors are true; you, the only fucking Phantomhive, made a contract with a devil.” I stared at her for a long moment before Sebastian spoke, “Why would the two of us be connected then?”  
  
Sebastian's eyes glowed crimson as I stared at him, wondering why he would ask her such a question. She cackled, fighting against my boyfriend's grip as she said, “You must not know about your bloodline, Sebastian. Hah, I'm damn sure that your grandfather kept you sheltered from the horrid truth about your family and some of the other families that roam this city.” She shut her eyes, wincing in pain as worried look crossed the older male's eyes; was he really taking her words seriously?  
  
I watched as his grip loosened the slightest and she twisted free, holding the knife against his neck, staring at him with those white eyes. “Demona wants to see you, Sebastian, and she won't stop until your boyfriend had been turned to ash just like his parents,” she said, pointing the blade of the knife towards me. His eyes glowed red as he growled, “Get out of here before I tear you to pieces, Kasadya.” There was a certain look in those crimson orbs before they turned back to normal as she stormed off, pulling her hood over her head.  
  
He balled his hand up into a fist, putting it through the wall before looking over at me and saying, “Ciel, let's get out of here; I can't stand it anymore and we have things we need to look over back at the loft.” He turned away from me, heading down the hall and towards the exit of the long abandoned motel. I chewed at my lip, wondering if Kasadya's words had really impacted him.  
  
\---  
  
I laid down on the couch, sighing loudly. Sebastian had left a while ago to “clear his head” and still had yet to return. I, on the other hand, had been working through what evidence the two of us had found in the old motel. In past cases, I had solved things on my own by going through what information I could find. There was something about this one though that always brought me to a dead end. I ran my finger over the scab next to my eye, remembering how Kasadya's expression and blank white eyes burned into me as she attacked Sebastian, all because of a single threat. We had found her weakness though; the green eyed male who also bore a snake tattoo that matched hers.  
  
I grabbed the journal off of the coffee table before rifling through the pages, reading Hannah's entries that were wrote after she had been captured.  
  
 _I have no idea who they are or what's going on. They threw me in a room with another girl named Lydia; I haven't met her before, but I've seen her around school. She told me that her and Bryce (ex boyfriend) went to dinner to talk through a few of the issues as they were trying to reconcile their relationship. When they finished dinner and he was walking her back to her car, a couple of people threw bags over their heads before dragging them down an alley and threw them into a car.  
  
My story is slightly similar though. I was on my way to meet a guy I have history with named Chris. Chris and I have had feelings for each other for a while and he was going to take me out for the night. I was walking home to get ready and they took me off of the street; that was the last thing I remember before ending up here. I'm scared and I have the feeling that none of us are going to make it out alive._  
  
I pulled out a piece of paper, making small notes of what the hostages had been doing before they were brought to the hotel. Most of them had been doing everyday things, but one of them stood out to me the most; Irene Diaz.  
  
According to Hannah's journal, Irene was a senior and head of the school's drama club. The night she was captured she was over in West Side meeting someone by the name of Julius Pitt. According to what she said, Julius was captured along with her, but when I checked the other entries of Hannah's journal, Julius was only mentioned that one time; there was also no one of that name at the school. I began to question whether or Irene's story was true or if Julius may have been a member of the cult.  
  
I continued writing down notes and trying to connect the pieces about the cult that Sebastian and I knew about to Hannah's very few journal entries. My phone rang beside me and I picked it up, only to see a text from Sebastian. I stared at it for a long moment, remembering the last time I was here alone and received a message. I shut my eyes before opening it only to see three words.  
  
Sebastian:  _Kasadya was right._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This week has been rough on me, lovelies. My mind hasn't been in the right place and I've been trying to work through some personal stuff. I have a love-hate relationship with this chapter and for those of you who was looking for smut, it's not happening yet; you only have to wait just a little bit longer. 
> 
> I am also making heavy, heavy edits to chapter one. After some feedback, I've realized that it's not all that great at bringing in the attention of readers. It won't change much to the story, but I just thought I'd let you guys know.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy! 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	24. That Butler, History

My hands were shaking as I clutched a book tightly in my hands. I knew that I shouldn't have taken Kasadya's words seriously, but after I thought about it over and over, I had the feeling that there could have been something about my family that I may not have known. When I was younger, I was never told much about my family's past, but I knew that I could trace back some of it from what little I did know.  
  
My hand stung slightly as I glanced through a stack of yellowed newspapers, finding my grandfather's name in a few of them. One of them that really caught my attention though, was a certain paper that held an engagement announcement. I brushed it off, thinking that the woman's name was my grandmother, but I looked over it once again only for my eyes to grow wide as I stared at the image and looked closely at the name; Angelica Saxe. I would have never thought that Principal Victoria and my grandfather were engaged, but I had always figured that something had happened between the two of them.  
  
Placing that particular paper off to the side, I began to flip through them once again, tracing further and further back into my family history as I began to search online. I had quickly taken notice that the first born child was always a boy and as the information slowly dried up around the early 1800s, I had figured that my family's name had been around for centuries.  
  
Something had struck my curiosity and I started looking at the other family names that had married into mine and I began notice that they also only had first born sons; all of the daughters were either second or third born. My fingers ran through my hair when a librarian lightly knocked on the door before asking, “Are you finding everything okay?” My eyes found hers and I nodded my head, whispering, “Yes, ma'am.”  
  
As she walked away, I placed my face in my hands, trying to piece together what little information that I had connected to what I knew. I had limited options to find out more and the only person that I could think to ask was Principal Victoria. I didn't want to force her to admit her relationship with my grandfather, but she had to know something about my family and could possibly help me find what Kasadya was talking about.  
  
I glanced down at my watch and noticed that it was shortly after three; I knew that Victoria would still be at the school until later this evening. Quickly, I grabbed my bag off of the floor, folding up the newspaper and placing it in the side pocket before rushing out of the library. Another sting ran through my hand, but I continued to ignore it, starting my car and rushing towards Royal High.  
  
\---  
  
The secretary glanced up at me as I stepped into the office. Her brown eyes watched me carefully for a moment before she asked, “Mr. Michaelis, what are you doing here at this hour; school is already over.” A mocking look sat in her eyes and I placed my hands on the counter before saying, “Is Victoria in her office? I need to see her about an important matter.”  
  
“She is, but what is this matter that you need to discuss with her?” She asked me before I held up a single silver necklace with a crown charm on it and simply said one name, “Lydia.” The secretary's eyes instantly grew wide and I heard the large wood door open up only to reveal Victoria. There were tears in her silver eyes as she gestured for me to walk into the office, shutting the door behind me.  
  
I placed the necklace in her hands and whispered, “Ciel and I found this at the motel; I-I thought that you might want it. As of right now, we don't know what happened to her and we're trying to figure it out, but I thought you deserved to have this.” She stared at the silver metal as tears rolled down her face before she embraced me tightly, crying into my chest as I stared down at her in shock. I didn't know what to do; what to say. Gently, I wrapped my arms around her shaking form and stood there in silence, allowing her to get her to let her emotions loose and acting as if I wasn't seeing a thing.  
  
She pulled away from me after a few minutes and wiped her eyes, saying, “I apologize for that. I-It's been quite rough not knowing where she's been and just seeing this... It just makes me wonder if she's still out there waiting for someone to come save her.” She turned away from me, placing the small necklace on her desk before pulling out a handkerchief and wiping her eyes. After she slipped it back into her pocket, she stood up straight and looked at me right in the eyes. “Did you find anything useful at the motel?”  
  
I dropped down in the chair while she walked behind her desk, stacking a pile of folders together and placing them on the corner of her desk. She glanced up at me as I twiddled my thumbs, saying, “We didn't find much, but there was a notebook that Hannah Anafeloz owned; Ciel is currently going over the information right now to see if it's of any use to us, but I came here to talk to you about something else.”  
  
Victoria stared at me for a long moment before taking a seat, folding her hands together. “What is it, Sebastian?” There was a slight frown forming on her lips before I reached down in my bag and pulled out the newspaper, placing it on her desk and pointing at that single engagement announcement. Quickly, her face turned crimson as she said, “W-Where did you find that?”  
  
“I was at the library looking into my family name. We...” I stopped, thinking about how I could word my question without connecting it to the case and realizing that it was almost impossible. I pulled my lip between my teeth and sighed, looking down, and continuing, “Ciel and I, we have reason to believe that my parents may be connected to the case. I was searching for the Michaelis family history and ended up drawing blanks; t-that's why I came here to ask if you knew anything about my family's past.” I didn't look up at her as I spoke and I could feel her eyes watching me carefully.  
  
I heard her take a deep breath before she said, “Your grandfather was my piano teacher when I was fifteen; he claimed that it was love at first sight, but since he had dropped out to become a musician, my father didn't approve of our relationship. After begging my father, h-he proposed to me not long after my eighteenth birthday and just a few months later, we found out that I was pregnant,” she wiped her eyes once again, wrapping Lydia's necklace around her hand, “I ended up losing the baby that October and w-we were devastated as any young couple would be, but it hit him the hardest; after that, we just ended up falling apart. I-I loved Diablo and I still love him to this day...”  
  
Victoria placed her head on the desk in front of her for a moment as tears rolled down her cheeks again and I stood up, preparing myself to leave. “I-I didn't mean to... I can just go home...” She simply raised a hand before sitting up again, brushing away the tears and saying, “No, that's not necessary. I-I just need a moment to collect myself.”  
  
She shut her eyes and took a few deep breaths before continuing her story, “A-A few nights before your grandfather died, he called me and asked if I would come see him. When I did, we ended up talking about our relationship, how I had recently lost my husband, and then we ended up talking about you,” her silver eyes met mine as I stared at her, “He told me about what your mother and father did to you and that he wanted me to watch over you after he was gone; I-I became your legal guardian until your eighteenth birthday and I'm sorry I didn't mention it to you before; I thought it was best if you didn't know about mine and Diablo's relationship. In his will though, he had left me a single leather bound journal with a note that told me to give it to you when the time was right. Of course, I didn't know when exactly what Dio meant by that, but I have the feeling that your grandfather meant this; this moment where the truth unraveled and you found out about our relationship.”  
  
A small smile hinted her lips when she tugged open a desk drawer, rifling through it before pulling out a worn, leather book. Victoria placed it into my hands, staring at me before whispering, “I-I don't know what the journal says; I haven't read it because I felt that it was for your eyes only. What I told you though, is all the information that I know. Hopefully you'll find the answers you need, Sebastian.”  
  
\---  
  
I stared at the notebook sitting in the passenger's seat. It had been over an hour since I had spoken to Victoria and I hadn't looked at the words my grandfather had penned who knows how many years ago yet. Currently, I sat in the parking lot of a local convenience store, a new pack of cigarettes in my lap, with one perched between my lips. My eyes followed the wisps of smoke as I looked away from the journal.  
  
Truth be told, I was terrified to see what the journal said; this journal could possibly reveal the darkest of secrets linked to my family name and I didn't know whether or not I should know them just yet. Grandfather had wrote them for me though; he had wrote them to reveal information that may be dire to me though.  
  
I flicked my cigarette out the window of my Mustang, shutting my eyes, and leaning back in my seat. Taking a deep breath, I opened my eyes once again, grabbing the notebook only to feel a sting run sharply through my hand. I hissed between my teeth, watching the mark glow a deep purple; a similar symbol made itself known on the leather and I stared at it with wide eyes before slowly opening the book, staring at the delicately written words.  
  
_Sebastian,  
  
I know that by now, I've been gone from your life for quite a while and Angelica has told you about our past together; I'm positive that she's been watching over you with care. I cannot promise that the things written in this will make you feel any better, but I could never find the time or the words to tell you about the horrors behind our family name. Please, please, read these words with care and I'm hoping that they will possibly help you in some way. I wouldn't be sharing this information with you, Sebastian, unless I thought that you needed to know.  
  
Diablo Michaelis_  
  
I stared my grandfather's words before chewing at my lip and grabbing another cigarette. My hand ran through my hair before I lit it and sat the notebook down on my lap. What were the horrors behind the Michaelis name and was all of this something I absolutely needed to know? I shut my eyes and shook my head, taking a long drag out of the cancer stick and picking up the leather pad once again, flipping to the next page.  
  
_Long before the two of us were born, there was a man named Samuel Michaelis. He was alive in the late 1700s and he was a timid blacksmith who didn't really have much. One day though, something changed in him; his entire personality was different and it was all because of one simple thing. See, back then, your religion was important, but it couldn't protect you from the creatures of Hell.  
  
When someone is possessed, the host's soul is eaten and the demon claims the body. This demon in particular was bored and wanted to come to Earth in order to toy with the people who had been around Samuel. At first, the demon didn't think twice about his actions, but soon enough, what was left of Samuel's soul had began to merge with the demon. Soon enough, the demon began to experience emotions; one of them being guilt.  
  
Eventually, the demon began to return to Samuel's normal life and ended up falling in love with a young woman named Molly. Molly, like Samuel, was possessed by a demon, but both of them refused to admit to the other who was really on the inside. The two were wed though and they ended up having a son named Benjamin.  
  
When a demon and human try to have a baby, it's almost rare for the child to be born. On the other hand, if a demon mates with a demon, the couple will have a child and if it's the first born, it is always a boy. There are very few demon/human children on this earth and the ones out there do not possess any “demon-like” qualities; demon/demon children though, begin to show the signs around the age of sixteen._  
  
The mark on my hand began to burn and I rubbed it gently, flicking what little was left of my cigarette out the window. These demons, was I one of them? My fingers ran through my hair as I flipped the page, preparing myself for what was to come next in my grandfather's journal.  
  
_Going back to Molly and Samuel's story, when Benjamin began showing the signs, the couple was shocked. Their son being born was a miracle, but also showing the signs of being a demon? The two of them knew something was going on and they ended up admitting to each other that they once lived in Hell.  
  
The couple began to help their son control his demonic qualities – red eyes, fangs, dark and twisted thoughts – so that he could live a semi-human life. They gave him names of other demonic families that roamed the Earth; they also suggested that he marry or have sexual relations with another demon so that he may carry on the family name.  
  
When my family told me what I was, I wanted to end it. I wanted to have a child and continue our family name, but I didn't want to create another demon. When Angelica told me that we were going to have a baby, I was overjoyed; I had to keep my fingers crossed though because I knew how rare of a chance it was for our child to be born. I didn't want to tell her what I was and in the end, I didn't. After we lost that child, I gave up and I knew that if I wanted to achieve my dream, I had no choice; I didn't want to lose another child.  
  
I met your grandmother a couple of years after Angelica and I ended our relationship. Even though you never met her, Amelia was one of the kindest ladies that you could have ever met; you wouldn't have even thought that she too was a part of a tainted bloodline. When we had your father a few years later though, we knew that he was going to be one of the people who would take advantage of his demonic nature; it upsets me that he did just that.  
  
Your father cut off all ties with me when you were five. He did it because he was jealous of the fact that you were so close to me instead of him. The day you ended up on my doorstep though, that was when I knew that your father and mother had let their demonic natures take over; your scars was proof of that._  
  
I cringed as I read the last line, reaching behind me to trace a finger over one of the long, raised scars. This notebook explained the reason behind their abuse, their horrid actions and personalities. Flipping another page, I glanced up at the time for a moment before beginning to read once again.  
  
_After seeing their abuse, I felt the need to hide our family's history from you. I didn't want you to know the horrors of being a demon, but I knew that one day, since you were the child of two demons, you would end up showing the signs of being one. One thing that proved that to me is that mark on your hand Sebastian; I know that it must have showed up by now._  
  
_That mark on your hand is a contract, but I have no idea how you formed one at the age of thirteen. A contract is an agreement between a demon and the master, a human; the demon must bow to the human's wishes until the final goal is achieved. Now, I have no idea who you formed the contract with or the terms you two agreed on in the end, but I cannot promise that you'll end up be happy when it's complete. We're demons, Sebastian, and typically at the end of the contract, our demonic side takes the master's soul._  
  
The book slipped from my shaking hands and landed on the floor. When I was thirteen, I didn't know Ciel, but somehow, in some way, the two of us had made a contract that has an unknown consequence. I shut my eyes, leaning my back against the seat and thinking about all of the things that I suppose were my “demon-like” qualities. I fit the ones that had been explained above, but why didn't they start showing up until now? Also, how was I supposed to control my demonic side without someone to teach me how? If I didn't control it, was I going to end up like my parents?  
  
I shook my head, grabbing my phone and texting Ciel a single message before starting up my car, pulling out of the parking lot. I wanted to protect my boyfriend, but at the same time, I was afraid that I would only end up hurting him. As I drove down the busy street, there was only one person I could think of talking to at this moment. I took a road leading out of West Side, heading to Claude's apartment, and hoping that he would be able to help me piece together my grandfather's words.  
  
There was no way I could tell Ciel about this... not just yet, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is, plot, plot, and more plot. I meant to do something more with this chapter, but I thought I'd leave it at where it is. I'll think I won't reveal all of the "demon" secrets until later, but right now, I just wanted to give a little backstory on what's going on with Sebastian and why he is showing these "qualities." 
> 
> Also, yes, I've been gone for three weeks, but I have a proper explanation in http://lilypetal4348.deviantart.com/journal/Adventures-In-Babysitting-543613790 
> 
> One last thing, I love, love, love fanart so if any of you have drawn/wrote anything and I haven't seen it yet, send it my way! I'd love to see it! 
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy!  
> MistressPhantomhive


	25. His Master, Phone Call

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
I leaned back in the chair as I sat across from Alois and Lizzy. I couldn't stand the silence of the loft, so I called my two friends and asked if they'd like to go out to dinner; my treat. The three of us met at a small restaurant just inside of West Side and I stared down at the food in front of me, not having much of an appetite at the moment.  
  
“Ciel, are you okay? Ever since we've got here, it seems like that you're not actually here,” Alois said and I stared up at his teal orbs before sighing, my hand reaching up to touch the medical patch that covered my right eye before tracing my fingers across the small scab next to it. Ever since I received Sebastian's text, my eye had a dull sting that was slowly causing me to worry about the older male.  
  
“I'm fine; I've just had a couple of things on my mind,” I said, scratching my fork across the plate and staring at the small, single piece of chocolate cake in front of me; even the sugary dessert didn't look appetizing to me at the moment. Elizabeth's green eyes pierced into me as she said, “Is there anything we can do to help? I don't like seeing you like this and I'm sure Alois doesn't either...”  
  
My hand reached up to my bruised shoulder, my single blue orb not meeting either of them; I could feel their eyes burning into me before I opened my mouth before closing it once again. I glanced back over at them once again and said softly, “There's something going on with Sebastian; h-he's just not himself and he's been having moments where it feels like there's someone else trapped inside his body and not him.” I didn't want to explain the whole situation to the two of them, but they were curious about what was holding my attention at the moment.  
  
“What do you mean?” Lizzy asked, picking off a piece of my untouched cake with her fork before I sighed, “I don't really know how to explain it to the point that it makes sense. There's just been something about the way he's been acting that is just... un-Sebastian-like.” A sharper sting ran through my eye and I reached up to touch the cloth once more without thinking.  
  
I winced just as Alois asked, “Is there something wrong with your eye? I thought it was blind.” Lizzy and I exchanged glances for a single moment before I whispered, “Yeah, it's fine. There are just some moments where it stings a little.” Lizzy kicked my foot under the table and I looked away, gritting my teeth. I hated the fact that she found out about my eye, but it happened all because of a small accident when I had a little bit too much wine in my system.  
  
The teal-eyed boy stared at me for a moment longer before glancing down at his phone and saying, “Claude is calling me; I'm going to step out for a moment if you guys don't mind.” Lizzy waved her hand, shooing him away and he gave her a slight smile before walking out of the restaurant, holding his phone up to his ear.  
  
Lizzy's eyes burned into me the moment he was out of an earshot and said, “What's really going on with your eye, Ciel?” She picked another piece off of my cake and I shut my eyes for a moment before whispering softly, “As I said, there's something going on with Sebastian; every time one of us is upset, angry, or if something happens – the house fire, for example – the other can feel it. Whatever is going on with him right now, wherever he's at, there's something major going on; I can't tell what it is though.”  
  
She stared at me for a long moment, swiping another piece of cake and licking the icing off of the corner of her lip before saying softly, “I'm worried about you, Ciel. I know that you and Sebastian share this so-called “connection,” but I'm beginning to feel like it's taking a toll on your well-being. I hate to say this, but ever since he came around... y-you just haven't been the Ciel that I fell in love with all those years ago.” Her eyes held a soft expression, but there was a voice nagging me in the back of my head telling me that she only wants me to give up Sebastian and come back to her so that we could be the “happy” couple all over again.  
  
“Lizzy, I've always been like this if you haven't noticed,” I snapped without thinking and she stared at me with wide eyes as I twisted my blue diamond around my thumb, “Every single day I carry the burden of the Phantomhive name and it's gotten to the point where I'm just so fucking fed up with it. I hate having to think about my parents' death every single day. I hate having to think about the things that happened to me while I was missing for those few weeks. I  **hate** having you sit here and tell me that Sebastian is bad for me just because you're upset that I left you for him, Elizabeth!” My voice was raised and I could feel my rage flowing hot in my blood; I didn't care that other patrons were staring at us.  
  
Tears sat in her green eyes before she grabbed her purse and snapped, “You know what, Ciel, I don't know what crawled up your ass, but you're seriously not the same. If you haven't noticed, I didn't care that you left me for Sebastian; when I was leaving your house after you drunkenly dumped me, I ran into Soma and him and I have been together since then.” She held her left side tightly, clenching her teeth and I remembered that she still had healing stab wounds. Her eyes watched my single orb for a long moment before she said, “I hope you figure out what's going on and I hope that I can still remain your friend even though you think the way that you do, Ciel.”  
  
As I watched her walk away, her blonde, curly ponytail bouncing with her steps, my anger disintegrated; it was almost as if it never existed. I threw a fifty down on the table before walking out of the restaurant, searching for wherever Lizzy went only to see a silver car pull out the parking lot, heading towards the road that leads to East Side.  
  
“Fuck,” I growled, running a hand through my hair when Alois approached me with confused teal eyes. He slipped his phone into his pocket before he asked, “What happened? She ran out like she wanted to be a million miles from here...” I tugged at my navy black locks before sighing, “I said a few things that I didn't mean... Dammit, I wish I wouldn't speak without thinking.”  
  
The older blond placed his hand on my shoulder before saying, “Don't worry about it, she'll be better in a few hours. We all mess up sometimes, Ciel; it's a part of being human. Both of us also know very well that Lizzy is a forgiving person.” I chewed at my lip and sighed, nodding my head before I said, “What did Claude want?”  
  
“He told me that Sebastian is staying at his place tonight. He also told me to pass on message to you from Sebastian; he said that his phone is dead and he'll see you at school tomorrow... I wonder what all of that is about?” Alois said, glancing over at me. I stared at the concrete sidewalk in front of us, trying to piece together the reasons my boyfriend wanted to stay the night at Claude's place. Was it because of this morning? Was it because of what had Kasadya said? What was it that made him want to stay away from me for one night?  
  
“Ciel...” Alois said, looking at me, concern lacing his tone. I glanced up at him, twisting my inherited, gold ring once more before saying, “Do you need a ride home? There's some things that I need to take care of at the loft and I don't think that it'd be best for you to walk with it being almost night.”  
  
His teal eyes bore into me before he said, “How about I just stay with you at the loft tonight... I don't think it's best for you to be alone right now.” I pulled my car keys out of my pocket before jingling them in my hands and saying, “I'm fine... I just need to do a little bit of schoolwork and then I'm going to go to bed. Please, don't worry about me.”  
  
My movements were stiff as I walked towards the car and the questions ran over and over in my mind. They were eating at my mind and I didn't hear a single word that Alois said about how I shouldn't be alone or how he asked about what I had said to Lizzy that made her storm off in the way that she did.  
  
All I wanted to do was go home and be alone.  
  
\---  
  
It was a little past two in the morning and I couldn't sleep. I was perched on the end of the bed, a book in hand as I tried to read away my worries. My phone was sitting on the bedside table, playing soft, whimsical music, but even with that there, the loft was still too quiet. I placed my thumb in the book, shutting it for a moment to look around at my surroundings.  
  
In the past few hours, so many scenarios had played over and over in my head about what Sebastian had found out and why he was staying with Claude tonight. Something seemed off with the entire situation and just thinking about it made my skin crawl. I folded one of the page before shutting the book and sitting it down on the bed, rubbing my arms before standing up. I didn't want to stay at the loft all by myself, but at the same time, it was too late for me to go anywhere alone; going out meant risking being captured by Serpentine.  
  
Instead, I walked up the staircase and headed towards the kitchen for a glass of water. I stood in the dim lighting, a glass in my hand, taking small sips out of the cold drink before leaning against the counter and sighing. Sebastian was the only thing sitting in my mind and just the thought of him made my eye sting dully. I sat the glass down, shutting my eyes for a moment only for the silence to be interrupted by my phone ringing downstairs.  
  
I rushed down the steps, not even questioning why I was getting a call at two o'clock in the morning before picking up the small device and holding it up to my ear. “Ciel Phan-”  
  
“ _Ah, Ciel Phantomhive. It's finally good to hear the mature young adult that I helped create_ ,” A woman's rough voice rang through the line and instantly a shiver ran down my spine. I've heard this voice before a long, long time ago and the issue was that I couldn't pinpoint where exactly. I chewed at my lip before responding, “Who is this?”  
  
The woman left off a soft chuckle before she cooed softly into the speaker, “ _How about I give you a name of a specific individual that you're close with; maybe then you'll realize who I am._ ” The sound of this person's voice made me sick to my stomach and I sat down on the bed, feeling my chest tighten. I knew this voice; I've met this person before, but I couldn't remember where and how long ago.  
  
“ _You've became silent, Ciel. My, my, have you remembered just yet? Your father and mine used to be business partners before he died... I remember when you were just a small child, so fragile and innocent; it was quite... alluring,_ ” the final word rolled off the tip of her tongue and I swallowed the foul taste that began to fill my mouth. She had, had connections with my father at one point, but I knew that he wasn't that one “specific individual” that she had been talking about.  
  
“W-Who are you?” My voice cracked as I spoke and I could almost see the smirk spreading across her lips as she chuckled once more before whispering the name very softly, “ _Sebastian Cassius Michaelis._ ”  
  
The line went dead with her final words and I coughed, feeling more sick than before. That woman was Demona... Our fathers worked together at one point and I'm sure that she had attended one of company's social events if she had seen me when I was younger. Even though I was sickly quite a bit, there were still some moments when father let me attend and introduced me to so many people that he was close with; some of those people I have contact with to this day.  
  
I locked the phone, curling up into a small ball at the foot of the bed, my stomach rolling. I had never expected her to come into contact with me during the investigation. She knew that we were searching for her and she knew that she could shatter me with just a single, taunting, phone call. It felt like there was a weight on my chest and and I shut my eyes tightly, hoping that this small, panicking moment would pass.  
  
When did I become so weak?  
  
\---  
  
I leaned against one of the royal blue lockers, waiting for my boyfriend to show up and tell me what he was up to last night. It was a little under twenty minutes until first period started and I wasn't exactly looking forward to this school day; I slept only two hours last night and I still had Demona's phone call sitting in the back of my mind.  
  
A certain blond walked up, taking a seat on the floor beside me before saying, “I'm curious to where Sebastian and Claude are. Every time I try to call Claude, I end up getting sent to voicemail. He did text me early this morning though and told me that the reason why Sebastian stayed last night was because he had to work through some things and he didn't want to trouble you, Ciel.” Alois' teal eyes looked up at me and I twisted my blue diamond around my thumb.  
  
“I don't know what was so awful that he didn't want to bother me with it,” I mumbled, staring straight ahead before he sighed, “Well, a lot has been going on recently; I guess it might have been something that he was afraid would upset you. I suppose he'll tell you what it was eventually.”  
  
I slid down the locker, taking a seat beside of him before rummaging through my bag and pulling out Hannah's journal, holding it tightly in my hand. “Did you know Hannah Anafeloz?” I asked Alois and he glanced over at me before saying, “I had biology with her last semester; we weren't really close, but yeah, I knew her. She's one of the missing students, right?”  
  
“Yeah... Sebastian and I found her journal yesterday and after reading some of the entries,” I said, waving the book in the air before continuing, “I'm beginning to think that either something has happened to her or that they're doing something awful to her.” I had no idea why I was telling the older male this information, but I felt the need to tell someone about what was on my mind at the moment.  
  
Alois opened his mouth to say something, but he quickly closed it when the building's doors opened and Claude and Sebastian stepped in. My boyfriend was wearing his favorite cut-off tee, a leather jacket, and he had an unlit cigarette perched between his thin lips. He looked like he was angry about something, but when his reddish-brown eyes met me, a small smirk spread across his lips.  
  
I stood up on shaky legs and he embraced me in a tight hug before whispering into my hair, “I'm sorry about last night; I left without much of a warning and I know you don't like being alone... There was just so much on my mind and there's so much that I have to tell you, Ciel.” He tilted my chin up to where I could meet his eyes and I noticed that there was something different about him. What it was, I have no clue, but it made me feel uncomfortable.  
  
He gave me a soft kiss on the lips before pulling away and I stared up at his reddish-brown eyes, chewing at my lip. This wasn't the Sebastian that I met two weeks ago; this wasn't the Sebastian that had comforted me multiple times; this wasn't the Sebastian who told me that he loved me. This Sebastian reminded me of the phone call last night and it made my skin crawl.  
  
I knew for a fact that something happened last night and right now, I was afraid to find out what exactly it was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate the ending of this chapter with a dying passion, but I didn't know how to set up the next chapter without doing what exactly I did... Yes, Sebastian is now being weird, but he has certain information that he's trying to hide from his boyfriend; if you have no idea what I'm talking about, go back a chapter.
> 
> So, I'm finally home from Florida so updates should be back on track very soon. I start school on the tenth so weekly updates shall be coming back very, very soon once I get everything together and I know what I'm doing.
> 
> Also, is it bad that even though this is a SebaCiel story, I kind of ship Ciel and Alois' characters in this universe... I hope that made sense... Oh well, I'm rambling. 
> 
> Also, I'm doing a one-shot request giveaway! On my DeviantART account I'm close to having 200k pageviews! If you'd like to request a one-shot check out the links below:
> 
> Information about giveaway:  
> http://lilypetal4348.deviantart.com/journal/200k-Pageview-Raffle-549061369
> 
> Where to submit your request; please tell me that you're from AO3 and give me your username so I may link you in my list of requests:  
> http://mistress-phantomhive.tumblr.com/ask
> 
> Until next chapter!  
> Comment/Kudos/Subscribe/Enjoy!


	26. That Trancy, Revealing

-Alois' Point of View-  
  
“ _There's something wrong with him, Alois. He's completely changed in a span of a couple of weeks,_ ” Lizzy sniffled into the phone as her voice cracked. She told me that she had been upset ever since she left the restaurant and I could see why; it really didn't seem like Ciel to snap like that, but then again, he backhanded me with a book just a week ago.  
  
I chewed at my lip and whispered softly into the phone, “Don't worry about it, Lizzy. He's been going through a lot lately and you and I know that very well.” What I said was partially true; I wanted to know what was going on with Ciel, but at the same time, I thought that it may be something that he'd just have to get through himself. Lizzy and I have known him since we were kids and since then, Ciel has always been a person who prefers to work things out on his own.  
  
She was silent for a long moment before she said quietly, “ _He snapped at me when we were at the restaurant. I-I told him that he hasn't been the same since Sebastian came around and he snapped at me, telling me that he hated thinking about what happened to his parents, that he hated thinking about what happened to him in those few weeks that he was missing, and then, he turned around and told me that he hated the fact that I was jealous because he left me for Sebastian,_ ” she let off a huff of air before continuing, “ _I really don't care that him and Sebastian are together now. I mean, basically, I did the exact same thing he did; after we talked, I ran into Soma and... well, somehow we ended up together._ ”  
  
Humming softly, I held my pillow close to my chest and sighed, “Well, you know how he's weird about these things; if something upsets him, he just wants to be alone. He's probably in a godawful mood right now because Sebastian is staying with Claude for the night.”  
  
“ _What purpose do they have with staying together? Don't you typically stay with him because-_ ”  
  
I cut her off before she could finish her sentence, “I don't know. Claude just told me that I'd have to deal with being at home tonight. Ciel was visibly upset when I let him know and I offered to let him stay with me, but he rejected it; he just went stiff and acted as if everything was okay even though you could tell when it wasn't.”  
  
I laid across the bed only to jump up when I heard the front door slam and a slurred voice say, “Stupid fucking door.” I whispered quickly into the phone, “Lizzy... I-I have to go. Mom is home.” My best friend tried to spit out a reply when I ended the call, climbing off of the bed and slowly crept out of the room. If Mom had came home drunk, it could only mean trouble.  
  
As my feet carried me down the hall, I heard her sling her bags on the couch before her glassy brown eyes met my teal ones as she spat, “Well, if it isn't my lovely, lovely son. What have you been doing all day; chasing after that boyfriend of yours and trying to avoid me, as usual? You didn't think I'd come home tonight, did you?” I could smell the alcohol on her breath from all the way across the room.  
  
Ever since Luka passed away, Mom hasn't been around much. She blames me for my younger brother's death and some days she can't stand to look at me. I spent most of my time with Claude or Lizzy because when she did come home, she was always in a bad mood and she took a lot of her grief out on me.  
  
I twisted my fingers into a knot, walking across the room and tried to stop her from going into the kitchen to grab another beer. I grabbed her arm and said, “Mom, how about we get you to bed?” She jerked away from me and said, “Why? So you can kill me while I sleep?” Cringing at her words, my hands fell to my sides as she walked away. I hated every minute she was like this, but there wasn't a single thing that I could do.  
  
As I turned to walk down the hallway, I heard her shout, “Alois, I'm coming home early Thursday. If I see your face here, I'm going to throw your ass out on the street; Mommy has some business that she needs to take care of.” Tears welled up in my eyes at her words and I tried to keep my voice from cracking as I said, “Y-Yes, Mom.”  
  
My steps were heavy as I walked back to my room and flopped down on the bed, tears falling down my cheeks. I knew that I shouldn't have taken Luka to that abandoned building and I should have watched him, but I wasn't the one who killed my brother. Every day, I have to sit with the guilt of his death and with Mom throwing it in my face, it just made me feel worse.  
  
I held the pillow close to my chest and ended up crying myself to sleep that night, the thought of my younger brother sitting in the back of my mind.  
  
\---  
  
I drug my feet as I walked into school the next day. There were dark bags under my eyes and I really didn't feel like being here right now. I tried calling Claude a few times before I came to school, but I was sent straight to voicemail. I was worried because typically when I call, he picks right up. He did send me a single text message though after my second call.  
  
Claude:  _Sebastian had to work through some things last night and he didn't know where to go; I was the only person he could think of. He was afraid to trouble Ciel._  
  
When I walked into the building, Ciel was leaning against the lockers, looking exhausted. He was twisting his rings around his fingers and I threw my bag onto the floor before taking a seat beside him, picking at my nails. His blue eyes stared at the floor as I glanced up at him and said, “I'm curious to where Sebastian and Claude are. Every time I try to call Claude, I end up getting sent to voicemail. He did text me early this morning though and told me that the reason why Sebastian stayed last night was because he had to work through some things and he didn't want to trouble you, Ciel.”  
  
He didn't look at me when he mumbled, “I don't know what was so awful that he didn't want to bother me with it.” I hated seeing Ciel like this. He tries to shut himself away from the world and I knew perfectly that, that was the worst thing he could possibly do. I tangled my fingers together and said softly, “Well, a lot has been going on recently; I guess it might have been something that he was afraid would upset you. I suppose he'll tell you what it was eventually.”  
  
Slowly, he slid down the locker before sitting on the floor, pulling a tattered journal out of his bag. He flipped it through his hands a couple of times before gripping it tightly and saying, “Did you know Hannah Anafeloz?”  
  
I picked at my nails, thinking of the lavender-haired girl that tutored me throughout biology. She was sweet and had me help a couple of times with her articles for the school paper. We haven't really talked since our exams ended, but then again, we weren't really friends; I didn't learn anything about her. My eyes found Ciel's single blue orb before I said, “I had biology with her last semester; we weren't really close, but yeah, I knew her. She's one of the missing students, right?”  
  
Ciel looked shocked for a moment when I mentioned that she was missing, but he didn't say anything about it. He waved the book in the air as he spoke, “Yeah... Sebastian and I found her journal yesterday and after reading some of the entries... I'm beginning to think that either something has happened to her or that they're doing something awful to her.” He looked worried for a moment and I opened my mouth to say something before the building's doors opened revealing Claude and Sebastian.  
  
I stared at the two older males, feeling Claude's yellow eyes burn into me as Ciel stood up, his legs shaking like a newborn deer. Sebastian pulled him into a tight hug and Claude grabbed my hand as I glanced over at the couple, noticing the slightly uncomfortable look that sat in Ciel's single, cerulean orb. Sebastian kissed his lips and held his hand tightly as he stared at me for a moment before they walked away. Claude laced his fingers with mine as I glared at him before jerking my bag up from the ground and dragging him down the hall.  
  
Back when the two of us started dating, my boyfriend and I found an abandoned janitor's closet and constantly did the cliché thing of making out in it. Opening the wooden door, I pulled him inside and flicked on the dim light bulb as the opening shut with a loud slam. The two of us stood in the tight space, staring at each other until I snapped, “Explain.”  
  
His lips were pulled into a tight line as he leaned against the wall. “It isn't anything of your concern, Alois. This is something that needs to stay between Sebastian and I.” I crossed my arms in front of my chest and said, “I order you.” As I had told Lizzy the night before, Ciel had been through enough already; this secret could make things so much worse if we weren't careful.  
  
My tongue felt as if it had been set aflame and he looked agitated as his eyes glowed a bright fuchsia. A small smirk spread across my lips as I put my back against the wall when he said, “Sebastian came to me because I've been the only person that's stuck around for as long as I have. He received his grandfather's journal last night and learned certain things that frightened him and he didn't know who to come to... He was lucky that I was the one that he took this information to.”  
  
My hand ran through my hair as questions flowed through my mind. What was this information? Was it that horrid that Ciel couldn't know? I glanced up, my eyes meeting the older male's as I said, “What was it?”  
  
Claude looked away, eyes glowing as he said his words through his teeth, “The Michaelis family is of demon royalty. They began when Balam, one of the kings of Hell, possessed a man by the name of Samuel.” He looked uncomfortable as I stared at him with shocked, teal eyes; these were things that he didn't want to say and I had to use my power against him.  
  
He suddenly leaned down to kiss my lips as if he wanted to change the topic, but I stopped him with my hand, saying, “Who is his contract with then? He shares a symbol similar to ours, Claude, but his is always showing.” I chewed at my lip, curious, but also fearful. Once again there was that look in his yellow eyes that said, “ _I'd prefer not to say, but I have to._ ”  
  
I opened my mouth to bark a command, but instead he spoke, “Ciel Alexander Phantomhive.” My eyes went wide before he continued, “He doesn't know how it happened, but according to his grandfather's journal, his mark has been imprinted on his hand since he was thirteen years old; a demon's qualities don't even begin to show until sixteen.”  
  
My tongue began to sting as the yellow and orange tetragrammaton softly glowed against his pale skin. My boyfriend told me whenever someone formed a contract with a demon, their marks would only show if an order was given or if the bearer willed it to; if Sebastian's was always showing then so was Ciel's.  
  
Claude's eyes bore into me as I realized that it seemed as if the two didn't know the terms of their contract that what the end's consequence was. When our agreement was made months ago, I had asked for Claude's undying affection which later turned into our relationship. In the end, at mine of his untimely end, he would gain my soul.  
  
Tears pricked at my eyes just thinking about it and I questioned what the end result would be of Ciel. Shaking my head, my boyfriend pulled me close, whispering, “Don't cry, Alois; I'm sure that Sebastian will take good care of Ciel.”  
  
I gave a small, sad chuckled, “That's not what I'm upset about, Claude. Do y-you love me because of our contract or...?” I buried my face into his chest, taking a deep breath as he whispered into my hair, “We may have a contract, but I love you for who you are; if that wasn't the case, I wouldn't have made a contract that would take up my entire life, your Highness.”  
  
I nodded my head, feeling his fingers run through my blond curls as I enjoyed his comforting presence.  
  
\---  
  
I drug my feet as I was walking home in fear of my mother being there. I didn't want last night to happen all over again; truthfully, I hated running into her because she was always drunk and she always barked those awful words at me.  
  
I shivered, pulling the sleeves of my pale blue cardigan over my hands when I heard someone running up behind me. “A-Alois,” Ciel panted as my teal eyes met that single cerulean orb. I glanced over at his silk eye patch for a moment as he continued, “D-Do you mind if I hang out with you for a while? S-Sebastian has to work tonight and I'd prefer not to be left alone. I can buy dinner.” He looked out of breath as I slowly nodded my head. I knew if Mother was home and Ciel was with me, she wouldn't act the way she did; she never acted like that in front of Lizzy.  
  
After we picked something up from a local fast food chain, the two of us walked back to my house in silence. The keys jingled in my hand as we started up the stairs, heading towards the poorly painted white door. I shut my eyes tightly as I unlocked it, twisted the golden knob only to find the living room empty, not a trace of Mother in sight. An audible sigh escaped my lips as I lead Ciel to my room, dropping my bag on the floor and took a seat on the bed before unwrapping my greasy cheeseburger.  
  
The younger male stared at me in confusion as he joined me, popping a fry into his mouth as I tried to take his focus off of my actions. “Is Sebastian okay?”  
  
I watched carefully as he swallowed, taking a small sip of his drink before he whispered, “He's not himself and it scares me,” he ate another fry, twisting his fingers together, “Whatever he is now, that's not the Sebastian that I fell in love with...” That single blue eye stared straight ahead, the slightest hint of fear tainting it.  
  
Wrapping up the burger and slipping it back into its bag, I pulled my lip between my teeth, thinking about the information that Claude gave me earlier about Sebastian. There was now a feeling in my gut that told me that Ciel had no idea and I had the urge to tell him; it was only fair, with him being in a contract with his demonic boyfriend. I turned towards the male, pausing for a second before sticking out my tongue and feeling the symbol begin to burn around my piercing.  
  
Ciel's eye instantly became wide as he fumbled with his words, “H-How? W-W-What?” At first I thought he had the slightest idea of what was going on, but then I caught the look of, “ _I know what that is_ ,” in that single eye.  
  
I looked away from him before taking a deep breath, deciding that it was only fair that I shared my story with him. “About seven months ago, Claude and I met at a party. My brother, Luka, passed away a few years ago and the anniversary of his death was approaching. My mother blames me for the entire thing and around that time of year, her slurs get worse and I went to that party to throw myself away in pills and booze.” Tears were forming in my eyes and I tried to blink them away, only for me to wipe my face with the back of my sleeve as Ciel stared at me.  
  
“Alois, are you-”  
  
“I-I'm fine,” I almost shouted before continuing, blushing all the way up to my ears, “Sometime during the party, I met Claude and ended up passing out. He didn't really know what to do with me so he took me back to his apartment and put me to bed. When I woke up the next morning I was so embarrassed that he had saw me in such a state and we talked and I ended up telling him everything about Mom, Luka's death, and how I felt so alone and unloved. Before I even realized it, his eyes were glowing this vibrant fuchsia with these cat-like slits for pupils. I was scared and I didn't know what was going on when he asked me if I wanted to make a deal with him. Even though I had just met him, I agreed and made a contract with him that resulted with this mark being placed on my tongue; he shares an identical one on his left hand, but they appear at our own free will.”  
  
Ciel stared at me as if I has just slapped him across the face. He looked as if he wasn't able to process what I just said, but he mumbled, “What is he?”  
  
My heart raced in my chest as I debated whether I should continue with giving him so much information. I bit down on my stinging tongue, linking my fingers together as I whispered, “He's a demon that will one day take my soul. Ciel, I know about your eye; you and I both made deals with devils.”  
  
The younger male stood straight up, his body shaking as he rapidly muttered, “N-No, no, no, no, there's no way that's true. Sebastian and I... We-” He hissed through his teeth, his hand slipping under his eye patch before he dropped down to his knees. I was up at an instant as the black fabric fluttered to the ground and I saw that blind, violet eye. It glowed fiercely as Ciel stared at me, his face contorted in pain as a pained whisper escaped his lips, “A-Alois, help me.” With those words, he collapsed, his body hitting the carpet with a muffled thud.  
  
“C-Ciel? Ciel!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me forever to write this chapter because I've had writer's block and school has taken up around ninety-five percent of my life. I decided to do a chapter with Alois this time around because Claude is able to give a little bit more information about demon ways, but that's still not all.
> 
> I believe that Sebastian shall be telling his part of the story in the next chapter... You never know what I'll have rolled up my sleeve next.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Subscribe/Enjoy!
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	27. That Butler, Hallucination

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
It felt like something inside of me had been set free. Even though I had stayed up all night learning that I was of demon royalty, I still felt like I was suddenly brand new and alive. A part of me was terrified though because with this newfound information, I knew of mine and Ciel's contract and I feared what the unknown end result was.  
  
Lix glanced over at me as I tapped my fingers on the counter. Business had been slow so far and I was beginning to grow bored. The older female leaned against one of the shelves, sighing loudly before she said, “Where's your boyfriend at today?”  
  
I ran my fingers through long raven locks before saying, “I'm not too sure. I told him I had to work this evening at lunch and I haven't seen him since. Knowing him, he bought himself Taco Bell for dinner and went home to either play chess or add up product sales.” I chuckled softly, turning my attention back to drumming on the counter as she flipped through a pile of dusty records.  
  
Reaching down in my pocket, I pulled out my pack of cigarettes, holding them up and saying, “I'm gonna take a smoke break. You have the store under control, right?” She rolled her eyes as a smile spread across her lips as she waved her hand in the air, shooing me, “Yeah, yeah. So many customers are going to start coming in while your horrid face is gone.” I shook my head, walking out the back door and shivered at the sudden rush of cold air.  
  
Laying against the brick wall, I lit a single cancer stick before inhaling the sweet poison into my lungs. Thoughts of Ciel ran through my mind as I slightly questioned the way his movements were stiff during school. He looked uncomfortable most of the time and everyday after the dismissal bell rang, we met up trying to figure out where the other was going. I chewed at my lip at the thought of it.  
  
As I had told Lix earlier, I informed the younger male that I had to work tonight. When the school day ended, I sat in my car waiting for him to show up. He never did and I didn't have much of a choice, I had to be at work on time or risk the chance of my boss being there to chew me out.  
  
Sliding my phone out of my pocket, I took another drag of my cigarette and opened my contacts before clicking on Ciel's name. I listened as the phone rang softly in my ear before I was cut straight to his voicemail, “ _This is Ciel Phantomhive's personal line. All business calls should be directed to Funtom's main office. Leave your name and number and I will get back to you when I have the time._ ” I pulled my lip between my teeth as I stubbed out the orange ember against the brick wall before placing my phone back into my pocket and turning to walk back into the store.  
  
I cringed as a sharp sting ran through my hand. My shoulder met the wall as my vision grew foggy and my head began to pound. “Fuck,” I hissed, my eyes burning for a single moment before everything around me suddenly grew pitch black.  
  
\---  
  
I woke up in a large bedroom with pastel blue walls. Toys were thrown all across the floor and there was a person laying on the child-sized bed. As he sat up, the room turned more mature as the walls suddenly became a royal blue, the toys replaced with books. I stared in awe before I noticed that, that person was my boyfriend, but instead of that shimmering, violet eye, there was a blue one to match.  
  
“Ciel,” I said, my hand stinging as he stood up, eyes wide before he ran out of the room; it almost seemed as if I didn't exist. I followed after him, heart racing as I reached out for the collar of his shirt only for my hand to pass through.  
  
I froze, hearing a dark, female laugh ring through the air. The younger male continued to run down the hall as I looked around, trying to find the source of the familiar voice. The laughter ended in a whisper that sent a chill down my spine, “ _Find him, Sebastian._ ”  
  
My feet carried me quickly down the corridor until I came to a vast deep purple, staircase that lead down to an entryway with a checkered floor.. I stared at it with wide eyes as I had the feeling that this was the original Phantomhive mansion. My eyes searched across the multiple doors, trying to find the one Ciel had went in when I heard the younger male shout, “Mother! F-Father!” I darted into one of the door on the left side, walking into a dining room with a long table where two people sat.  
  
At the very end of the table was a noble-looking man with chocolate brown eyes and slate-colored hair. There was a small beauty mark under his left eye and I quickly took notice that he was wearing rings identical to Ciel's; the Phantomhive blue diamond and the gold ring with his family's crest.  
  
To his right, there was a pale woman with long blonde hair. She shared my boyfriend's cerulean eyes and I could see that he had a few of her facial features as well. A silver pearl necklace hung around her neck and I stared at it for a moment, thinking about the similar one that Ciel had bought for Elizabeth.  
  
“Ciel, son, we've been waiting for you,” Ciel's father said as I tried to think of his parents' names. The couple watched him with bright smiles as the younger male walked towards them with shaky legs. He tripped, falling to his knees as he said, “Y-You died in the fire... D-Does that mean that I'm a-also..?” He pointed to himself and I walked towards him, trying to place my hand on his shoulder only for him to not even notice it pass through his body.  
  
His mother turned towards his father and said, “Vincent, he ought to know what is going on.” His eyes seemed to stare past Ciel and look directly at me as his mother stood up, taking my boyfriend's hands into her's, “Blackbird, you're still alive, but you can join us and we can all be a happy family again if you just give up. We don't need you to take down the people who killed us, who hurt you. All we need is for you to stay here with us so we can take the time to catch up on all the things that we've missed.” She ran her fingers through his hair as a sharp sting ran through my hand. Vincent's eyes bore into me before the the warm brown color flashed a demonic light blue for a single moment.  
  
Ciel's legs shook like a baby deer's as his mother pulled him into a tight hug when that sinister, female voice said, “ _Stay here forever. Be a happy family._ ” My hand clenched into a fist as blood began to drip from the deep purple symbol. I hissed as the voice whispered the words again, the scars on my back burning as if the former wounds had been ripped open once again. A cackle rang through my ears as I dropped to the ground, reaching out to Ciel as I heard his mother say, “Won't you stay, my little blackbird?”  
  
“C-Ciel!” I shouted as his body became rigid and he twisted out of his mother's grip, turning around before that blue eye turned foggy and slowly faded into its regular, glowing violet. His eyes stared at me in shock before he ran towards me, “Sebastian?”  
  
His mother stood to her feet before walking towards her husband and linked her arm with his. The two of them watched us as Ciel looked back at them and yelled, “Don't you just stand there! Can't you see that he's hurt?! Mother? Father?” Both sets of eyes glowed that light, electric blue as they said in unison, “What about us? What about your family? You can't take revenge with him around.”  
  
I watched as he stood to his feet, hands balled into tight fists as he shouted, “I didn't choose revenge for you. I chose revenge because those sick fucks locked me in a cage for weeks; they branded me like a piece of cattle; they tried to sell me into prostitution. I didn't choose revenge for you; I chose revenge for myself to get rid of the ones who tried to drag the Phantomhive name into the ground!”  
  
My eyes were wide as he yelled those words and the scene surrounding us shattered like glass, leaving the two of us entrapped in darkness. I laid on the ground, my mark and back still dripping in blood as I heard the click of heels. I lifted my eyes up only to see a woman with long black hair and wine-colored eyes approaching us. She wore a crimson-lipped smile as she clapped her hands together, speaking in a voice that had haunted my ears earlier, “That was quite a show, Ciel.” I made an attempt to lift myself up from the ground as she spoke, trying to protect my boyfriend, only to fall flat on my face once again. My mother, the queen of Serpentine, was standing in front of us.  
  
She leaned down, her eyes glowing as I noticed a pure white contract symbol on her left hand, “My poor, poor, darling Sebastian; I'm sorry to put you through so much pain, but I didn't have much of a choice. I wanted to see if he was ready to give up out little game.” I growled, forcing myself upwards as she tipped up my chin and purred, “Are you ready to give up, son?”  
  
My boyfriend tightened his hands into fists before swinging at her only to be stopped as she grabbed his hand, her eyes never leaving mine. She stood up straight, a smirk on her lips before getting close to his face and hissing, “It's your lucky day, Ciel. I'm in a good mood, so how about you wake up so I can talk to my son in private.”  
  
As my boyfriend's eyes went wide, he disappeared into nothing, and my mother let out a dark chuckle before approaching me, “Sebastian, my darling son,” she cooed as it felt like claws were digging into my already wounded back. “Fuck you,” I snarled as she placed the tip of her heel against my marked hand, pinning it to the ground.  
  
“Now those aren't the kind of words you should be saying to your mother,” she snapped, blood slowly staining the point of her shoe. “You know, I could end all of this pain if you just claimed your place as the heir of Serpentine, the place that will always allow your inner demon to be free. Sebastian, darling, soon enough it will take over and turn you into a  **monster**.” Her eyes flashed at the word as mine burned a dark crimson and I shouted, “Never!”  
  
My mother's foot pressed deeper into my pale flesh, her lips pulled into a grim line, “I will take him away from you, Sebastian. Your father gained Rachel's and Vincent's souls by force and I will do the same to Ciel if I have to,” she laughed, eyes glowing, “and I will drag you and the Michaelis name down to the pits of Hell if I have to.”  
  
With her words, there was a snapping sound and everything, once again, turned jet-black.  
  
\---  
  
I gasped for air, my eyes opening wide as I sat in a pure white, bleach scented room. My entire body felt like it was on fire as I heard the beeping of machines and someone stand up, running over to my bedside. “S-Sebastian, you're finally awake!” Lix said as I rubbed my eyes, trying to sit up, and groaned in pain. Her jade eyes were watery and I noticed that her makeup was severely smeared as she shook.  
  
“What happened?” I asked in a raspy voice as she wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve and mumbled, “You walked out for a smoke break and you were gone for about fifteen minutes. I got worried and went back to check up on you and saw that you had collapsed and the ground was covered in blood-” Her voice cracked as she covered her mouth, trying to choke back another set of sobs; you could tell that she had been incredibly worried about me.  
  
My eyes found my marked hand and stared long gash before I reached to touch my back, wincing as it stung. I looked over her and asked, “What time is it?” There was a smear of black on her face as she wiped her eyes once more and said, “Just past eleven. I-I tried contacting Ciel, but he wouldn't answer.”  
  
My hand burned as the gashes and wounds quickly healed and the pain faded as I jerked the wires out of my arm, looking over at her. “Did you drive here?” She stared at me, slightly astonished, slowly pulling out her keys before I grabbed them out of her hand and ran down the hall. “Se-Sebastian, what in the hell are you doing?!” I heard her yell, but I ignored the shout, heading straight for the automatic doors.  
  
As the car door slammed and I sped out of the parking lot, I felt my eyes glow crimson. I glanced in the rearview mirror, blood seeping from my tetragrammaton once again. There was something wrong with Ciel, I could feel it in my heart, my hand, and my mind. I had a feeling that my mother did something horrid to him when she shooed him away.  
  
I gritted my teeth together in fear of finding Ciel in a mental state that just couldn't be repaired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm slowly getting back on my feet. I'm one month into school and I ended up finishing some assignments earlier so I had time to write. Finally you guys get a glimpse of Demona and there will be more of her showing up soon in the near future.
> 
> Next chapter shall be Ciel's and I haven't decided whether I'll put something big in that chapter yet or not... I'm sure you guys shall know in a couple of weeks.
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Enjoy!
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	28. His Master, Innocence

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
My eye stung as I sat on the edge of Alois' bed. A dark bruise was forming on the hand that covered my violet eye; it felt like thorns were being forced into the blind orb as I hissed through my teeth. I woke up from the vision just an hour ago and it was nearing eleven o'clock. Alois was sitting next to me, one hand on my shoulder as another wave of pain shot through me.  
  
“I-It wasn't a dream. Sebastian was really there a-and so was his mother,” I said, clenching my hand into a fist. After I woke up, I explained to Alois the entire case, dream, everything and in return, he told me what was happened to my body while I was unconscious; how I sat up and told him, “Don't call for help. I'm being taken care of.”  
  
“Claude told me earlier that The Devil's Playlist closed early and Sebastian wasn't at the loft. We're looking for him right now,” Alois said and I saw his jaw clench as he bit down on his tongue. “She shut me out. Demona threw me out because she wanted to be alone with him. Alois, what if he's with her? What if this pain I'm feeling is her torturing him?” My voice cracked as my eye felt like it was being torn out and I felt a warm liquid run across my palm.  
  
I pulled my hand away only to see the sight from six years ago; the sight from when I was in the hospital when I lost my vision because my eye was marked. Alois gasped, jumping up as my back felt like it was being branded once again. A sickly sweet voice purred into my ears as red scratches formed on my arms and shoulders, ripping my shirt, “ _I wonder how long it will take for Sebastian to find **you**? Why don't you just give up?_ ”  
  
“Shut up!” I shouted as the claws draw across my sides. Alois watched with wide teal eyes as the raised red marks spread across my skin, a few leaking crimson droplets. His fingers were tightly wrapped into a knot as if he didn’t know what to do.  
  
“ _Just give me your soul, Ciel Phantomhive._ ”  
  
Alois jumped as there was a loud crash and I saw Sebastian standing in the doorway. His eyes were glowing their deep red before I felt the talons release me and Demona's voice whispered, “ _It will be mine._ ”  
  
“Sebastian,” I whispered as my arms were wrapped tightly around my person; Demona could have caused me so much more pain if the older male hadn't arrived. She was simply teasing me with the thin marks; the ones that had broken skin had already scabbed over.  
  
My boyfriend was standing next to me at an instant and he tilted my face towards his, swiping his thumb over my cheek. The blood stained his pale skin as he watched me before he said in a voice that almost didn't sound human, “What did she do to you?” His eyes hadn't seized their glowing and I caught a glance a dried rust color on his marked hand.  
  
“I-I-She...” I couldn't form words as he picked me up off the bed, carrying me bridal style out of the room. I twisted around, Alois staring at me as he disappeared from my sight. “Sebastian... Where are we-”  
  
“Home.” He said, cutting me off, his grip tightening on me the slightest bit before I hid my face into the crook of his neck. His skin felt hot against mine and I shivered before the same feeling I had from school washed over me once again. Sebastian held me close, but something about him felt so far away when he was in this state.  
  
I gripped his shirt tightly and whispered, “Let's go home.”  
  
\---  
  
I sat in a mountain of bubbles, my skin still stinging slightly from Demona's claws. Pulling my bruised hand through my soaking wet hair, I heard a knock on the door. I sunk down into the suds before saying, “Come in.” I knew it was Sebastian and I didn't know how he'd act when he came in.  
  
My eyes peeked out from just above the mass as he walked in, playing with a single lock for raven hair. He wore only a pair of gray sweatpants that rode low on his hips as he washed his face. I stared at the raised, fresh pink scars that ran down his back that reminded me of the states my brand was in at the moment; our old wounds had turned fresh once more.  
  
“If you take a picture, it'll last longer,” Sebastian mumbled, wiping his face off with a wet washcloth before looking over at me. A soft smile held his thin lips as I felt tears well up in my eyes. The two of us haven't spoken since we left Alois' house and just looking at him right now, that smile, just reminded me that Demona could easily take him away from me if she was desperate enough to; no matter how much Sebastian denied it, there was a high chance that his demonic side could take over.  
  
I sunk down further into the suds, trying to blink away the threatening tears as he walked over, taking a seat beside the tub, “How long do you plan on staying in there,  _domine mi_ ; your fingers are starting to prune.” My right eye began to burn as my sight was trained to the older male. I didn't say a word. “I'm worried about you and right now, I can't help but wonder if you're okay. Mother... Demona didn't hurt me, but you, you had those red welts and scratches and I was so afraid that if I didn’t get there in time, you would just end up falling apart in front of me.”  
  
He chewed at his lip and I sat up from the mass of bubbles, my fingers gripping the side of the tub as I pulled myself closer to him. Our noses were only a couple of inches away from each other and I said in a hoarse voice, “I'm fine, Sebastian. These marks will heal and everything will be okay when we finally get rid of Serpentine.” I leaned closer, my lips brushing his as I whispered, “Besides, I was concerned about you. You were the one that was bleeding and left with her.” My voice cracked as my words left my lips and I could feel his reddish-brown eyes staring at me.  
  
A tear slid down my cheek and he wiped it away, whispering, “I'm here and I'm okay.” He placed his hand gently on top of my bruised one. “I'm okay.”  
  
He kissed my lips gently before I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, pulling us closer to one another before he mumbled, breaking our kiss for a moment, “Do you...?” His question was left unfinished as my eyes bore into his, searching for signs of his inner demon breaking free like before. Pausing for a moment, I nodded my head. I knew that I could stop it if I needed to, but at this moment, this time, I felt the need to be closer with him.  
  
He lifted me up, my naked body dripping water as he carried me down the stairs. I was shaking as one of my arms was thrown around his neck before he dropped me down onto the crimson sheets, looming over me as he asked, “Are you sure?” I nodded my head slowly before whispering, “Please take care of me.” He nodded his head, placing a chaste kiss on my lips as if that was his way of making a promise.  
  
My eye burned as his lips moved against mine, my arms wrapped tightly around his neck. I moaned softly as he deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with mine before he pulled away, placing feather-soft pecks along my neck and the fading bruises on my shoulder. His eyes glanced up and met mine as I shuddered when I felt his hand trailing up my thigh. I was nervously shaking when he whispered into my ear, “Don't worry. I promise not to hurt you.”  
  
He played with one of my nipples as his hand was wrapped around my erection. A small hiss left my lips, but was soon replaced with a moan. I could feel Sebastian's smile against my skin as he placed a kiss right above my heart before turning his attention towards my lower half.  
  
During our relationship, Lizzy and I maintained our innocence. Yes, there were times when I felt like we were “ready” for this kind of thing, but my nerves quickly chased it away before any sort of plan was set free. Sebastian though... this was something totally different.  
  
“Sebast...  _ah,_ ” A breathy moan left my lips as his lips wrapped around the head of my erection. Even with that small little touch, I could feel myself already on the edge. I covered my face with my hands as I heard a soft laugh leave his lips before he began to bob his head up and down.  
  
Waves of pleasure rolled through me as I tried to hold back the embarrassing cries from my lips with both of my hands. My eyes were screwed shut as my face felt hot and I knew that my orgasm was quickly approaching.  
  
“Sebastian, I'm-” I moaned, releasing into his mouth before he pulled away, swallowing, as a string of saliva connecting his lips to the tip followed him.  
  
“That was quite quick,  _domine mi_ ,” he chuckled before asking with heavy-lidded eyes, “Would you like to continue?” My face burned crimson as I averted my eyes from his gaze before mumbling, “Well, I can’t leave you in the state that you're currently in.”  
  
He climbed off of the bed without another word, rummaging through the bedside table before pulling out a condom and a bottle of lube, saying, “Are you sure you want this Ciel? I don't want to force you into something you'll later regret.” There was a certain look in his eyes that looked almost worried; it was as if he didn't get the chance that I have.  
  
I pulled my lip between my teeth and wrapped my arms around his neck, reassuring him, “I'm sure as I'll ever be.”  
  
He placed a small kiss on my cheek before dropping the items onto the bed. The older male stared at me before laying me back on the bed, kissing my lips once again and spreading my legs. I watched, my face flushed bright red as he grabbed the bottle of lube and coated his fingers in the slick substance before he placed his lips to mine once again breaking our kiss to mumble softly, “This may hurt a little.”  
  
Sebastian kissed my lips roughly as I squeaked at the sudden intrusion. For days now I had been thinking about how this moment was going to play out and to say the least, it was so different than what I had in my the back of my mind. I knew my boyfriend's kisses were to distract me from the slight pain that I was feeling.  
  
His tongue tangled with mine as he pushed in a second finger, a moan leaving my lips. I felt his hand wrap around my, once-again, hardening member before a ragged breath tickled my ear. “Ciel,” he whispered, pushing his fingers in and out of my body before I cried out loudly in pleasure, my back arching. A soft chuckle left his lips as he kissed the top of my jaw, whispering to himself, “I knew I'd find it eventually.”  
  
Another cry left my lips as one of my hands clutched the sheets, the other lost in Sebastian's raven locks as he kissed me roughly once again. I whimpered as he removed his fingers before whispering in my ear with a slight smirk, “Can I put it in?”  
  
My heart raced in my chest, my face burning hot as he picked up the condom, ripping it open with his teeth. There was the look of lust and desperation in his reddish-brown eyes before I feebly nodded my head, brushing my sweat-drenched bangs away from my face. I shut my eyes for a moment, trying to chase away my nervous thoughts.  
  
“Ciel, lift your hips,” the older male said as he coated his wrapped erection in lube before positioning it at my entrance. I hissed, my eyes watering as he began to push himself inside of me. I heard him grit his teeth before leaning down and placing a kiss on my forehead. “Don't squeeze me so tightly. The pain will pass soon.”  
  
As he pulled his face away from mine, I covered my eyes with both of my arms. I felt him slide further into me, pausing occasionally to allow me to adjust before he finally mumbled, “It's all in.” He leaned over me, still as stone before I chewed at my lip, tasting copper, before nodding my head.  
  
I moaned loudly as he thrust into me, holding my hips tightly. My eye burned as my heart raced in my chest. My back arched and I saw a flash of white as a loud, broken cry left my mouth, “ _S-Seb-ast-tian_.”  
  
Peeking between my arms, I saw his smirk as he purred, “ _Domine mi,_ ” hitting the bundle of nerves that lay within my body. “ _Ah!_ ” I moaned, my arms leaving my face to wrap around his neck tightly, pulling his face closer to mine.  
  
He placed a sloppy kiss on my lips, muffling a groan as his hand wrapped around my member, jerking me off in time with his thrusts. My short nails dug into his back as I tried to hold back the noises that threatened to escape. His breath was erratic as he groaned in my ear, “I'm close.”  
  
My eye glowed fiercely as I hung onto the older male, a warm feeling welling up in my gut as one of my hands locked fingers with his. Something unintelligible left his lips as he came, me spending across our stomachs moments after.  
  
“S-Sebastian,  _I love you_!”  
  
The two of us collapsed onto the sheets, breathing heavily. Our fingers were still intertwined as he stared at me with crimson-tinted, reddish-brown eyes before he whispered, “I love you also, Ciel.”  
  
I hid my blushing face as he softly smiled, squeezing my hand before climbing off of the bed and picking me up. I winced as a dull pain ran through my lower back as he said, “Let's get you cleaned up.” I nodded my head, leaning into his chest and enjoying his warmth as I slowly drifted off to sleep.  
  
\---  
  
Sun streamed through the frosted glass windows as I sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. One of Sebastian's oversized band tees hung from my slender frame and I stared at the fabric before looking around the room for my boyfriend. Sighing, I climbed out from under the fresh sheets and limped towards the living room only to hear a set of voices.  
  
“How many times do I have to fucking tell you? Leave,” Sebastian's agitated voice ran out as I held onto the entrance of the bedroom with both hands. Who was my boyfriend yelling at this early in the morning?  
  
“But baby,” I heard a male's voice whine, “I thought we had something going on again? You cant just give up on me a second time.” My boyfriend snapped back at him as I could almost feel a fight coming, “Do I have to remind you again that  _you_  left me? You have a fucking girlfriend on top of that.”  
  
“She doesn't have what you've got, Sebastian. Because of you, I've came to realize that I prefer to take it up the ass than give it; if only I had realized that before we broke up.”  
  
“You're vulgar and drunk. Leave.”  
  
“Why can't we go back to those times? You were pure and innocent and I taught you sinful things. Don't you want to remember that?” There was a slight slur in the man's voice and I was tempted to look around the corner, but stopped myself.  
  
“You don't ask a person if they want to remember losing the last bit of their innocence to an ignorant asshole only to be thrown away like-” Sebastian's raised voice was cut off and I turned around only to see the man I assumed to be Joker standing there, his lips attached to my boyfriend's.  
  
With that sight, I lost my grip on the doorway and fell onto the living room floor with a slam.  
  
“My, look, it's the little Phantomhive. I've been waiting for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *runs away* I didn't take me almost a month to write terrible smut and an awful chapter; I have no idea what you're talking about.
> 
> So yes, I know that Ciel is completely out of character in this chapter, but I had a headcanon that he lets his defenses down whenever he's around Sebastian. I'm sure a lot of you have realized this by now also. Also, the reason why the smut is so bad is because I've wrote it about four times in my entire five year writing career. I may make references to something happening, but I never go full out. I did promise someone I would though so... here you go.
> 
> I've been bombared with school work so chapters may take a little while, but I'd love to get some feedback from you guys by the time I post the next chapter! I don't care even if you criticize the terrible thing I wrote above!
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Subscribe/Enjoy!


	29. That Butler, Reaper

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
“My, look, it's the little Phantomhive,” Joker said, his words slurred the moment he saw Ciel sprawled in on the wood floor, his mismatched eyes wide. His navy black bangs hid the glowing orb and my hand stung with Ciel's fear. “Leave, Joker,” I growled for the umpteenth time.  
  
My ex held up his skeletal hand to shush me as he took a step towards my boyfriend. He chuckled softly before mocking the younger male, “I'm surprised Sebastian is allowing you to live here. Don't you have enough money to buy a new place; I'm sure you're rolling in it, being the heir of that toy and sweet company after all.” Ciel began to sit up, trying to move away as he approached him.  
  
As Joker's hand slipped into his pocket, I grabbed him by the collar of his deep purple jacket, growling, “Leave him alone and get out of my house.” He chuckled softly, pulling out an envelope covered with hand-drawn inky thorns and roses.  
  
Joker stared at me with purple eyes before saying, “Doll is like a sister to me and she demanded that I immediately delivered this to the two of you.” I let him go, taking the note from his hand before he turned around, heading towards the door and glanced back at Ciel, “It was a pleasure meeting you, Lord Phantomhive. Hopefully we can meet again when you aren't covered in love bites and can walk without being sore.”  
  
My eyes found the younger male's as the door slammed and his face burned crimson in agitation and embarrassment. I walked over, picking him up off the floor and placing him on the couch before handing him the letter. “I'll go get you something to relieve the pain.”  
  
As I walked up the stairs, I could hear the paper being ripped open, his cerulean orb scanning over the scripted words. I rummaged through the cabinet, pulling out a bottle of Advil and grabbing a glass of water. Ciel let out a noise of frustration and I heard a book that he had grabbed off the coffee table hit the ground. I glanced down at him, concerned as my hand stung; Doll's letter must have carried bad news.  
  
I picked the piece of paper up from the ground as I handed the younger male the two items I carried. Taking a seat by his feet, I read over the mysterious girl's words:  
  
 _Ciel Phantomhive and Sebastian Michaelis  
  
I know it has only been a few days since we last spoke, but I have received more information about Victoria's case; some that may be appalling to you. I don't have an exact location of where their operations are, but I've heard there's an abandoned factory outside of West Side that may be occupied; it used to be a storage unit for Funtom.  
  
I also have lists that were passed on to me by an acquaintance of mine.  
  
Currently Known Reapers:  
  
-Kasadya Analyiese aka The Black Snake  
-Ronald Knox aka The White Snake  
-Unknown name aka Undertaker  
  
Deceased:  
  
-Bryce Hansel  
-Hannah Anafeloz  
  
My source came across the bodies of the deceased last night and contacted the police. They told me though that the bodies had severe burns, whip marks, and had the Serpentine brand and their death dates in roman numerals on their right shoulder. I'm sure the sight had to be quite gruesome.  
  
By wary of your surroundings and those close to you. Serpentine is watching us very closely and I'd hate to see one of you hurt.  
  
Doll_  
  
Hannah, our mystery journalist, and the captain of the football team, Bryce, was no long with us. Ciel's hands shook and my marks stung with his anger as I glanced over at him. He grit his teeth together before I stared at his mismatched eyes and he snarled, “My parents were taken away from me by that fucking cult for unknown reasons. Your parents, your mother, has torn my life into pure nothingness. I will never be the same, Sebastian! They will never be the same! They...” his voice cracked as his face burned red, his eyes watery, “Grelle escaped and is still traumatized. Two of them are dead with their bodies desecrated. The other five are... God dammit!”  
  
I stood there, frozen, as he threw another book, the noise of it hitting the wall echoing. He stared at me before saying in a broken voice, “I need revenge for myself, for you; I have to get rid of the ones that hurt us and I can't be happy until that happens.”  
  
“Ciel,” I said, taking a step towards him before he held up his hand and said, “Don't touch me.” He shook his head before he whispered, “I'm not blaming you for what they did because you had no part in it. I didn't mean for it to sound like it did, I just...” He seemed at a loss for words before he changed the subject, “Would you look into the two other, so-called “reapers” today? I need to contact Victoria and the police about Hannah and Bryce to see if there is anything else we need for this case.”  
  
I nodded my head before saying, “Yes,  _domine mi_.”  
  
\---  
  
The night that Ciel and I first kissed was the night that I met three people; I officially met Alois, Beast, and a man who was Claude's roommate by the name of Undertaker. Even though my best friend had been living with him for well over a year, he always seemed to be gone when I was around.  
  
My hand gripped the steering wheel as the reapers' names ran over and over in my mind. I had known that there was something strange about the older male while he stood in the corner at the party, just going into hysterics when he saw me. My foot pressed further down on the pedal as I sped out of West Side, heading towards the slightly run down apartment complex.  
  
As I pulled up in the parking lot, I saw Claude's Ranger sitting right next to an expensive-looking black Charger. A small smile crossed my lips; I had made the right decision to not call Claude beforehand. I knocked on the front door only for my friend to open it up, rubbing his eyes.  
  
“What are you doing here, Sebastian? I was up all night looking for you,” the yellow-eyed male yawned before letting me in. I saw his small, blond-haired boyfriend laying on the couch curled up under a zebra-print blanket, fast asleep. A small smile spread across my lips as I turned to Claude and asked, “Is Undertaker here? I need to talk to him about something important.” My hand stung as my eyes burned crimson for a moment before he stared at me.  
  
“He had to work last night and I believe he's asleep,” he said, pointing back to the room at the end of the hallway without asking questions. It was almost as if he understood what was going on.  
  
I stood in front of the door, debating whether or not I should knock or just let myself in. I was almost sure that this was the man on the list, but if he wasn't then it'd seem rude. I shook my head, opening the door only to hear someone chuckling before I stepped inside, feeling a blade bite into the skin of my neck as the door swung shut.  
  
“Don't move,” he laughed, green eyes glowing similar to the man back at the restaurant. They were almost the same, but the two voices didn't match.  
  
Turning my head slightly, I saw a mass of long gray hair that was pulled back before my eyes caught sight of a jagged scar that marred his pale skin. I hadn't seen his face the other day, but I knew now that I had seen him long before the two of us met at the party. “It's seems as if you've known me before, Sebastian,” he smiled.  
  
Back when I was six, my mother watched two boys during the summer. The older one, the man standing in front of me, was ten, while his brother, a dorky kid with dark brown hair, was five. The two of them were very different in personality, but it didn't seem to be the case anymore.  
  
“Ronald is...” I stared at him, my eyes burning as the knife dug deeper into my neck.  
  
“I was seventeen when our mother unfortunately died. Ronald and I had nowhere to turn so when I came across Demona, she offered us a place to stay and told us that we would be safe,” he said, chuckling darkly as his eyes bore into me, “I helped with the Phantomhive murders and I was the one in charge of capturing that brat; oh, the lashes I received when he escaped,” a long black fingernail pointed to the scar across his face.  
  
“You bastar-”  
  
“Shut up,” he said calmly, eyes narrowing as he threatened to slash my throat, “I taught Ronald his knife skills and I helped him commit his first murder when he was thirteen; we found some snot-nosed kid snooping in one of our buildings,” his laugh returned, but it stopped quickly, “I ought to kill you for what you did to my brother, but Demona would be beyond furious with me; she needs you, but then again, it's not like I can kill the son of one of the most powerful demonic families easily.”  
  
The older male stared at me for a long moment before I grabbed his wrist, growling, “If you're going to do something, then do it. If not, let me go before I  _kill_  you.” My eyes glowed brightly as he pulled the blade away and laughed, “You won't do anything because you  _need_  me, but for now, I must say farewell. Goodbye, Prince.”  
  
The dim room filled with smoke as his green eyes disappeared from my vision. I reached through the fog only to grab nothing. An animalistic growl escaped my lips as I shouted, “You fucking coward! Go run and hide behind my mother. She'll only throw you away when she's through with you, Ronald, and any other reaper around you.”  
  
My whole body trembled as Claude walked through the door, grabbing onto my arm and saying quietly, “I'm pretty damn sure that he knew something about Alois's brother; it was the way he looked at him when they first met.”  
  
Clenching my hand into a tight fist, I felt a fierce sting run through my mark as I seethed, “She has to pay; I don't care if she's my mother, she has to stand up and face the punishment for what she's done to all of these people.” My eyes glowed crimson and I felt a warm liquid run down my marked hand, dripping onto the floor.  
  
Claude stared at me, catching a downy, black feather from the air, saying softly, “Calm down, Sebastian. Alois and I are fully on your and Ciel's side. Whoever they are, they'll feel he wrath of both the Faustus and Michaelis families.”  
  
\---  
  
I sat in the parking lot of a fast food restaurant, a burger in my hand. My eyes glanced at the white gauze on my neck before I snorted. I was trying to keep from going home for the time being; I didn't know what kind of mood Ciel was in and for the time being, I didn't want to upset him with this injury that was already quickly healing. Maybe if I waited a while longer, the minor gash would be gone.  
  
My phone beeped as I received a text and I sat down the greasy fast food before reaching in my pocket and grabbing the small device.  
  
Ciel:  _Victoria and the families have been contacted. A message was found on Hannah's back. I'll send you a picture._  
  
I picked up my food only for me to drop the burger in my lap when I received the image. Hannah's hair had been hacked off and there was a bloody nursery rhyme carved into her dark skin.  
  
 _Ring around the rosie,  
Pocket full of posies  
Ashes, ashes  
We all fall down_  
  
The rhyme was a taunting reference typically associated with the Black Death and the thought of it caused me to shiver; a twisted, children's song talking about death was being used to attract mine and Ciel's attention. My fingers tugged at my black locks and I lit myself a cigarette before recieving one last message.  
  
Ciel:  _Be careful, Sebastian_  
  
Reading those three words instantly made me think of last night; he and I shared a moment that the two of us deemed important. I remember how his hand gripped mine tightly, knuckles white throughout his pleasure and he yelled three little words that neither of us had expected:  
  
 _“I love you!”_  
  
I blushed as I threw the burger back inside it's paper bag and started the car. My eyes glanced down at the symbol on my hand, the small flakes of blood still tainting my white skin. It burned slightly through mine and Ciel's connection and I glanced down at my phone again. Almost as if on queue, it began to ring and an unknown number popped up on the screen. I stared at it for a moment, taking a drag out of my cancer stick before accepting the call.  
  
“ _Sebastian_ ,” a familiar singsong voice rang out as I cringed before growling, “What do you want, Kasadya?” She giggled loudly before saying, “ _Well, I want a lot of things; a nice shiny car, a picture-perfect family, your head for stabbing my boyfri-_ ”  
  
I cut her off, shouting, “What do you want besides those trivial things?” I heard a muffled cry from the background and she yelled, “ _Be quiet, you bitch,_ ” before cooing into the phone, “ _I need you to come to the Devil's Playlist so we can talk a little bit. If you don't... well... Lydia, do you have anything to say?_ ”  
  
“ _Sebastian, tell Grandmother-_ ”  
  
“ _That's enough of that_ ,” Kasadya giggled and I heard the other female yelp in pain before the reaper said, “ _I'll be waiting, darling!_ ”  
  
“Wait,” I said as the call dropped with her laughter and I sped up the car, heading back to West Side to the place where I worked. Ciel's words sat in the back of my mind as my hand stung once again, a bad feeling sitting in my gut.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yes, I had issues with the last chapter on a certain site that caused me to cut out a major scene. I had to manage to incorporate the most important part of that scene into this chapter so I'm sorry it's a little bit repetitive. I've got a few things planned for the next chapter, but I haven't decided how to put those into effect yet.
> 
> I apologize for my updates being so spaced out; I've been very busy with school and my own personal life so I try to write when I can. Thank you all for your patience!
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Subscribe/Enjoy! 
> 
> Also I have a tumblr if you guys ever want to send me stuff, http://www.mistress-phantomhive.tumblr.com


	30. His Master, Betrayal

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
 _Ring around the rosie  
Pocket full of posies  
Ashes, ashes  
We all fall down_  
  
The rhyme played softly as I looked through my notes. Out of the hostages we had one who escaped, two dead, and five still missing. The images of Bryce and Hannah laid on the table and I stared closely at the roman numerals that was branded right under the snakes, cringing.  
  
I remembered the screams of the other children in the room with me as the hot iron was pressed into their skin. We were force fed, locked in cages, and tortured by the other people there, but unlike the others, I was kept in a cage alone; I was an important product that was up for a high bid.  
  
I was snapped back into reality as my fingers ran over the still tender mark of my brand. My hands shook and I glanced over at the time, my skin crawling. It was just past nine in the evening and I hadn't heard from Sebastian since he left this morning. I knew something was going on though; my eye had stung for half of the day.  
  
I stood up on shaky legs and walked up the stairs. My back was still slightly sore, but I was feeling better than I was this morning. My fingers ran across the dark bruises on my neck and I smiled as my feet carried me to the bathroom before I began to run the hot water for my bath.  
  
I hummed softly, staring at myself in the mirror before I heard the front door crash open and my boyfriend shout, “Ciel!”  
  
Rushing downstairs, I found Sebastian covered in bloody marks and darkening bruises. His eyes glowed a burning crimson as he grit his teeth. He dropped to his knees, trying to pull off his jacket only to reveal even more injuries that marred his pale skin.  
  
“Kasadya called after you texted me. S-She told me to meet her at the Devil's Playlist, acting as if she had Lydia. She and Ronald attacked me and,” he coughed, blood running down his lips before he gripped onto my shirt, “Ciel, I need...”  
  
My hands were shaking as he held my face before kissing my lips. The copper taste of the crimson liquid filled my mouth as his tongue tangled with mine and I tried to pull away from him, suddenly dizzy. His fingers were knotted in my hair, holding me close as I gasped for air, my vision foggy before he growled against my lips; everything suddenly grew dark, quickly becoming light again as he pulled away, catching me in his arms.  
  
I looked up at him, trying to catch my breath before panting, “Wha-What was that?” My eyes were wide, the violet one glowing brightly as I noticed that all of his wounds were gone and all that remained was perfect, porcelain skin; it was almost as if he wasn't human.  
  
My fingers ran down his cheek as his face grew red before he mumbled, “I needed a taste of your soul.” Slowly, I realized what he said before I attempted to escape from his grasp only to fall, my back hitting the floor, hard. A groan of pain escaped my lips before he explained, “Ciel, I didn't take any of it and I can only perform such an act during desperate times. I just needed the flavor of it to realize that...” He stopped, his eyes not meeting mine as I remembered why the two of us bore the same mark.  
  
“Sebastian, do you know the terms of our contract?”  
  
Alois hadn't told me much about what he had meant yesterday before I passed out, but you could tell what he  _had_  said had been carefully planned out and I didn't question him about it. I know very little about demons – only what I've read in books – I did know though, that if you made a deal with the devil, he gained your soul.  
  
My boyfriend's reddish-brown eyes bore into me for a moment before he looked away, saying, “When I found out about my family history and talked to Claude about what this life is about, he told me that most contracts end with the consumption of the master's soul after their wish has been fulfilled,” he took a deep breath before continuing, “Since we were so young and didn't realize a contract was being formed – we don't even know how that happened because we had never met previously – I don't know how this will all end. All I can do though is protect you until that end comes.”  
  
His long fingers ran through my hair as I just nodded my head, changing the subject, “Can you carry me upstairs? I'm still dizzy and I need to take a bath; we need to report your findings to Victoria tomorrow.”  
  
He hummed softly in agreement before gripping me tightly in his arms, heading upstairs to an overflown tub.  
  
\---  
  
Lizzy played with the gold bangles on her wrist as Alois and I sat near her during lunch. She was picking apart her sandwich, humming softly as her green eyes looked up at the two of us.  
  
“Soma and I are going out to dinner tonight and I don't know what color to wear,” she said softly, a frail attempt to start a conversation. I was glad that she had finally found someone to make her happier than I ever could.  
  
“Yellow,” I muttered, thinking about the older male's appearance and how his golden eyes contrasted with his hair. Alois looked over at me before meeting Lizzy's eyes and saying, “Or purple; I know you have a few gorgeous purple dresses in your wardrobe.”  
  
She smiled softly, picking through her food once again before asking the two of us, “What about you guys? How are your love lives going?” Alois played with his nails and my hand unconsciously reached to touch the fresh bruise on my shoulder.  
  
The two of us were silent as my eye began to softly burn and Alois cleared his throat, “Claude has been busy with a few family matters since yesterday so I haven't heard from him in a little while.” He glanced towards my way and I knew it had to be something of the demonic nature; I could tell he was biting down on his tongue.  
  
My lips were pulled in a tight line for only a moment before I mumbled, “S-Sebastian and I are fine, but you know how the two of us have been busy; I've never been working on something like this for so long. There's just so much going on.” I stared at the ground before running a hand through my hair, stopping as I began to tug my eyepatch and a teacher placed a hand on my shoulder, leaning down to whisper in my ear, “Principal Victoria would like to see you as soon as possible, Mr. Phantomhive.”  
  
I nodded my head, standing up and grabbing my stuff before waving goodbye to the two of them. I walked up the hill, heading inside the main office, and raising a hand up to greet the secretary before knocking on the door to the principal's office. I only received a muffled response of, “Come in, Ciel.”  
  
Slowly, I opened the wooden door to find Victoria with her back to me and Sebastian standing in the corner, our case file in his hand. His posture was stiff as he frowned, a sting running through my marked eye. I knew that something was going on when I heard Victoria trying to hold back her sobs.  
  
My boyfriend approached me with caution as the older woman turned around, facing me with watery, blue-gray eyes. She sniffled for a moment before saying, “From Sebastian's report, I can tell that the two of you are withholding information from me. Now, I won't ask why, but if you know anything,  **anything** , about the state of Lydia and any of the other students who are missing, I have to know. There are families out there waiting for their kids to come home and even though I hate to hear their grief after finding out that their child has died, I must. I'm grieving myself because of the loss of Ms. Anafeloz and Mr. Hansel.”  
  
I watched as she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief before looking away from us and asking, “Have you figured out why that particular nursery rhyme was carved into Ms. Anafeloz's back?”  
  
My eyes met Sebastian's for a moment before I stated, “We believe that whoever this group is, is trying to taunt us. There is a high possibility that they know that someone is trying to seek them out.” A sharp sting pricked at my blind eye as Sebastian clenched his hand into a fist. He gritted his teeth together before saying, “We have to find another lead. There has to be a trail that they've left for us somewhere.”  
  
Victoria didn't say anything as she kept her back to us. I could hear her playing with the diamond crown on her necklace before she said in almost a whisper, “You two are dismissed. Please inform me with any update you will yourself to. I'll keep in touch with you, Watchdog.”  
  
Sebastian and I walked out of the office and the secretary gestured for me to come over to her. I stood in front of the desk as she said softly, “Please find Lydia as soon as you can; I fear that Angelica will fall apart if you wait too much longer. I received a letter from the school board this morning that informed me that they were trying to find someone who could replace her for the time being.” Her eyes were sympathetic as she spoke about Victoria and Sebastian stood beside me as still as a stone.  
  
“We're trying everything in our power to find them as quick as we can,” he said and I glanced up at him before his fingers intertwined with mine where the secretary couldn't see.  
  
She simply gave us a small nod and whispered, “Thank you.”  
  
\---  
  
I shut the car door, shivering as I carried two bouquets of flowers; one dozen crimson roses and a bushel of Easter lilies. My feet carried me past tombstones and grave markers before I found the two that I was looking for. Though one grave wasn't as elegant as the other, it still was just as important.  
  
Sitting down the crimson roses, I stood in front of the first headstone. “How long has it been, Madam Red? Seven months, I believe? Ah, that doesn't matter though. The townhouse burned down and Elizabeth and I aren't together anymore; I thought I'd throw the bad news at you first because it seems like you and my parents won't be hiding the back of the crowd at my wedding. Sorry.” I shrugged as if she could see me, playing with the petals of one of the flowers in my hand.  
  
I pulled my hand through my hair as I continued to tell her what had been going on, “I came to realize the other day that I somehow have an attraction to other men. I think it's ironic that the only heir to the company's throne is dating another male,” I laughed before I held the purple and white flowers to my chest, the paper crinkling.  
  
“I'm sorry I don't have much to say to you. So much has been going on in my life that if I gave you the full story... Well, I'd been here for a while. I hope you and Uncle enjoy the flowers.”  
  
I walked over to the other grave, sitting on the grass and running my fingers over the cool marble that my parents' names were etched into. Gently, I laid the flowers down and hummed the lullaby that my mother used to sing to me.  
  
“I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to replace your flowers; Victoria has me working on a new case and so far, I think I'm close to finding the people who did this to you. There's someone new working with me and the irony of it all is that he's the son of the ruler of the cult. It's crazy, but he's nothing like them; they abandoned him when he was younger,” a sad laugh left my lips before I just stared at the ground for a moment as my voice cracked, “I'm in love with him. Mother, Father, I fell in love with a man, the son of the family that caused my destruction and your untimely demise.  
  
Tears rolled down my face before I sniffled loudly, wiping my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie. I put my hand down on the grass, feeling something prick my skin only to find a shiny, silver object. I picked it up, staring at it only to quickly drop it as if it had been on fire; in my hand was a pin with two snakes crossing one another.  
  
I stood up, falling to the ground again as I began to head towards my car. When I finally reached the dark blue vehicle with my hand wrapped around the door handle, a black car with dark tinted windows rolled up behind me. Another one soon joined it in the front and I realized that I couldn't escape.  
  
The door to the car behind me slammed shut and I saw a pale woman dressed in all black approaching, her heels clicking against the pavement.  
  
“Ciel,” Demona purred, “it's so great to finally see you in person; it's been way to long. Last time I saw you, you were this tall.” She held up her hand to show me, giving me a crimson-lipped smile as I stood there, frozen because of her sudden appearance. As she pulled away her sunglasses, I saw her eyes glowing their light blue before saying, “I figured you'd be here; it's approaching that time of the month, isn't it?”  
  
My eyes watched her left hand carefully as I noticed the dark red tetragrammaton that was similar to a spider's web. Inside my mind, I questioned who she had a contract with, but I knew it had to be one of her followers. She smiled softly at me as I said, “What are you wasting my time for, Demona?”  
  
“Cocky, aren't we? I could have swore that your mother taught you better than that,” she said, laughing, “I came to give you and my son a message... and maybe have a little taste of that precious soul of yours.” She walked towards me slowly and I felt my entire body tense up as I saw her demonic side escaping as her eyes once again glowed fiercely, her teeth sharpening.  
  
“Ciel! Get your hands off of me, you filthy bastard! Ciel!” I heard a familiar scream as Lizzy fell out of the black car, hitting the ground only to be pulled back in by her captors. Demona growled in frustration as I stared at her and snarled, “Let Lizzy go! She has nothing to do with this!”  
  
Quickly, her expression changed back to laughter before she said, “Ah, but it wasn't my idea to capture the little madam. She put up a fight, but I'm sure you would know what she's capable of.” I stared at her, questioning her words. What did she mean that it wasn't her idea? Who was it then?  
  
Another car door slammed and Demona cooed, “Darling, it's so good to see you! You put on quite a show the other night; I was even convinced.” I could hear two figures approaching me from behind. I whipped my head around only to see a flash of pure crimson standing next to darkness; both with bright green eyes.  
  
“Ciel, how's your Sebby-darling doing?” Grelle said, standing next to William. She looked perfectly fine and my jaw almost dropped in shock. She gave me a sharp-toothed smile before calling, “Did you really think that someone would be able to escape Serpentine alive?”  
  
Before I could even react, something slammed into the back of my head and I heard Demona sigh, “I suppose I'll have to give the message to my son myself,” as everything around me turned black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I write a chapter within a week? Did I really accomplish something I've been trying to do for four months now? Oh my goodness, I think I did! 
> 
> Hello there, darlings. I've put out a new chapter for you all and I thought I'd give you a few more hints that little things that are going around in the world that I made up for my story. When I began this story, I didn't expect to develop some of the headcanons as much as I did... The things with demons and reapers especially. Originally it was supposed to be, "Oh hey, yeah, Sebastian is a demon," but no, I ended up writing a backstory and all of this other awesome stuff. 
> 
> I think that's the only reason why this story has been lasting so long; it's running off of headcanons and kudos and Ao3. Shout out to all of you guys who have given this story kudos! You keep me running and that's the most feedback I've gotten out of the other two sites that I post this story on. 
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Enjoy!


	31. That Butler, Taking Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **There is a slight trigger warning towards the end of this chapter. You have been warned.

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
I stared at the chess pawn in my hand. After work, I had stopped by a local toy store and bought Ciel a new chess set because I had caught him on more than one occasion staring at the lonely knight and shattered king that was left from the fire; it seemed only appropriate to buy a new one.  
  
As I sat the piece back in the box, my phone began to ring and I picked it up, seeing the picture I had taken with Ciel a few days ago, flash across the screen. A small smile spread across my lips as I accepted the call, holding the phone up to my ear and saying, “Good evening,  _domine mi_. I was beginning to worry about you. Are you on the way home?”  
  
There was a dark, female laugh before a woman spoke, “ _Ah, but you should worry, my son._ ”  
  
My heart stopped and it felt as if I wasn't able to breathe. Quickly, my fingers ran over the marking on the back of my hand, holding my phone up to my ear with my shoulder. Something had felt off now that I had thought about it; it felt as if mine and Ciel's connection had been cut off; I couldn't feel the stinging, the burning, just pure nothingness.  
  
“What have you done to him? Where the fuck is Ciel?!” I shouted, my eyes flaring crimson with my anger. I shouldn't have let him go alone. I should have known that she, my mother, would have taken advantage of my missing presence.  
  
I grit my teeth together before she hummed softly and said, “ _How about I give you a riddle, my darling son? Restrained from breaking free, the young heir hides where a child's laughter used to stain the blackened walls._ ” I tried to process her words carefully, my mind racing back and forth. I could hear her laughing before she whispered softly, “Time is ticking, Sebastian. Will you be able to find him?” And with those words, our call dropped.  
  
I threw the phone down on the couch, growling in agitation before placing my hand on top of my symbol as if I was trying to grasp for mine and Ciel's connection. When I realized there was still nothing there, a bad feeling crept into my gut before I ran a hand through my hair. Our contract couldn't help me in whatever situation he was being held in at the moment and it bothered me severely.  
  
Picking up my phone once again, I dialed Claude's number, listening to it ring before he picked up, “ _What is it, Sebastian? Before you even ask, no, I haven't gotten the chance to talk to my parents about your-_ ”  
  
“Claude that doesn't matter right now; my demonic state can be discussed later. Right now, I need to find out where Ciel is!” I almost shouted, realizing that I wasn't breathing as the end of my sentence caught in the back of my throat.  
  
My friend was silent before I could hear Alois sobbing in the background as someone else tried to comfort him; a voice I recognized as Soma's. I was frozen as I heard Claude mumble something softly before I asked, “Elizabeth is missing also, isn't she?”  
  
“ _I was going to call you, but decided against it in fear of upsetting, Ciel..._ ” he said, quietly before asking, “ _Do you think that they may be together?_ ”  
  
I chewed at my lip before growling, “I think they were at one point, but I don't believe that, that's the case anymore. I was left with a riddle and told that time was ticking. If we find him though, we'll be three steps closer to finding her.”  
  
My skin crawled as I repeated my mother's words to him and he promised to search as much of West Side as he could; I knew it'd be a task with how upset Alois was though. As our call ended, I grabbed the keys to my car before heading out the door in search of my missing boyfriend with worry sitting in the back of my mind.  
  
\---  
  
Midnight was quickly approaching as I drove down the abandoned streets of East Side. I had searched everywhere I could think of; abandoned school buildings, playgrounds, anything that made me think of a child's laughter. I had picked apart Mother's rhyme piece by little piece until I said the puzzle aloud myself for the millionth time, “Restrained from breaking free, the young heir hides where a child laughter used to stain blackened...”  
  
Blackened. It was a single adjective that suddenly meant so much; the biggest clue to finding Ciel.  
  
Turning the car around, I pulled up the GPS on my phone before searching the closest thing to what was left of the Phantomhive manor, throwing it down in the passenger seat as it began to give me directions to a large piece of property where the noble family used to live.  
  
As I drove up the long, cracked driveway, I approached the skeletal remains of the large mansion. I couldn't help, but stare up at what was left of the house as I climbed out of the car and approached the garden; the bushes had been long overgrown and I shined my flashlight into the dried up fountain causing rats to scatter. I shivered at the sight before heading towards the house that nature had begun to take over once again.  
  
I tread through the house, stepping lightly on the ground and staring up at the stars before yelling, “Ciel?” I was given no response and my connection felt more dead than before. My eyes searched frantically between the crumbling stone pillars before I saw a small figure wrapped up in a sheet just ahead.  
  
My heart stopped and I couldn't feel my legs as I stumbled when I ran. I dropped down to my knees, not caring that I would be having bruises later on, as I tried to pull the fabric away only to reveal my boyfriend, his nose covered in blood, his lip split, and a black eye slowly forming where his eyepatch should be. My fingers felt for a pulse, only to find that his heart was racing and our connection sprang to life as he sat up, coughing as if I had just saved him from drowning.  
  
His hand gripped my arm tightly as his eyes were frantic as he choked out, “They have Lizzy and,” he coughed and I murmured, “I know,” before his grip became even tighter, his short nails biting into my bicep.  
  
“Grelle and William are with them,” he said, “They were there with Demona. They're reapers, Sebastian.” His cobalt eye became foggy before he passed out, landing in my arms.  
  
I gripped him tightly to my chest noticing the silver pin and bloody handprints that dotted the sheet. Slowly, I stood up, carrying him to the car and dragging the stained, white fabric behind us. I could feel eyes burning into the back of my neck and I growled, eyes glowing a deep crimson before I turned around and snarled, “Watch and observe all you want, but if I become your goddamned king, I  _will_  drag you all down to the deepest pits of Hell!”  
  
A small giggle ripped through the air, but I chose to ignore it as I strapped Ciel into the passenger seat, throwing the fabric into the trunk and driving off, catching the sight of glowing green eyes in the rearview mirror.  
  
\---  
  
I couldn't sleep any that night; all I could do was watch the younger boy carefully, my eyes occasionally drifting off to the object that he was previously wrapped up in. There was a message splattered on the sheet and I knew I needed to hide it away before Ciel saw it, but I couldn't bring myself to. It was important information that we needed, but at the same time, the blood splatters and details were horrifying.  
  
I shut my eyes tightly before reading the stained fabric once again.  
  
 _We've been playing this game for over two weeks now and we know that your trail is running thin; it'll be over so, so soon. I'll give you more information and let's play a little bit longer, okay?  
  
In a grave, three now lay, but four remain. For every three days that pass, another dies, your goal being your lucky last.  
  
Can you play the game of hide and seek?_  
  
Before the crimson words were five names, Elizabeth being fourth and Lydia fifth; the one at the very beginning, Irene, was crossed out with today's date in Roman numerals. At the very bottom, the piece of fabric had been embroidered with Serpentine's two snakes. The sick truth was, was that this sheet had been painted in the young woman's blood and I gripped it tight in my hands before ripping it.  
  
We had less than nine days to find Elizabeth and Lydia and three to save the first missing student. I growled as I continued to shred the stained material, throwing it across the room to scatter on the wood floor. Anger flowed through my blood as my hand began to seep crimson liquid and I glanced back at my boyfriend. My sudden change of mood faded as the younger male groaned, holding his head as he sat up, his marked eye dripping a single, dark-colored tear.  
  
I shuddered at the sight, turning my back towards him and staring at the destruction laying in front of me as he asked, “Sebastian, what happened here?” I clenched my hand into a fist as I had a sudden headache when a dark thought ran through my head.  
  
 _Look how innocent and **breakable**  he is. Wouldn't it be a shame if something happened to him?_  
  
I knew why my mood had changed; that thought had made it known.  
  
“Nothing, Ciel. Don't worry about it,” I lied, turning and putting on a mask just for him, “How about we get you to bed so you can rest a little bit more?” He stared at me, nodding his head slowly before I picked him up and carried him into the bedroom, trying to suppress the thoughts telling me that I could have everything I wanted if I stole his soul.  
  
Dragging my feet, I walked out of the room after he was curled up under the covers, finally facing the truth that if I didn't get help soon, my demonic side was going to take over and there would be no hope in saving me.  
  
\---  
  
A cigarette hung lazily between my lips as I stood in the alley next to the Devil's Playlist. Just the other night, I was beaten senseless by Kasadya and Ronald and now I stood here knowing that if I saw them again, I'd end up killing the duo; on top of that, I had three other reapers to worry about now.  
  
Wispy smoke left my lips as Saleos came outside and stared at me for a long moment before asking, “Are you alright? You've been out here for almost twenty minutes and there's more than one cigarette butt sitting at your feet.”  
  
I didn't look at him as I flicked the ashes off my current cancer stick before taking another drag. The older male leaned up against the brick wall, crossing his arms in front of his chest before sighing, “You don't have to tell me what's up with you, but you haven't been the same since that Phantomhive boy showed up and his house tragically burnt down.” He glanced over at me and coughed as I chewed at my lip. I couldn't meet his eyes because if I did, I knew I'd have to tell him everything.  
  
As he let out another small sigh, he said, “You can leave if you need to, Sebastian. Don't worry, I won't tell Zepher; you've done enough work for all of us in the past week.”  
  
I watched as he walked away, dropping what little remained of the smoking object behind me before I followed close behind him. I grabbed my jacket off the rack in the back, throwing it over my shoulder before glancing over at my co-worker. He stared at me carefully as I went out the front door, not saying anything before I climbed into my car.  
  
Leaning my head against the steering wheel for a moment, I tried to chase away the headache that was slowly returning. My entire night had been spent with me sitting outside the front door of the loft with a couple of bottles of beer and a pack of smokes because of those thoughts that were trying to talk me into committing horrid crimes. I was afraid though; I didn't know what would happen to me if I did let that side of me free to cause chaos.  
  
The engine roared to life as I turned the key in the ignition and began to make my way back to the loft. I knew Ciel was going to be hunched over those manila folders with all the evidence, trying to figure out where we were going to go with this next.  
  
The drive was short as I pulled up on the curb, grabbing my guitar out of the backseat and heading upstairs. Music played through the door as I unlocked it, stepping inside and saying, “Ciel, I'm...” but I was cut off as I saw him sitting on the floor, the stained sheet pieced back together in front of him.  
  
He was silent as I walked towards him, about to place my hand on his shoulder so he'd turn around and look at me, but instead, he said in a stern voice, “Don't touch me, Sebastian. I'm furious at you right now.” I couldn't see his expression at the moment, but I knew that he was chewing at his lip, running the risk of drawing blood.  
  
“Tell me what I did wrong,” I simply said as I winced when a sting ran through my hand, almost as if he was trying to reprimand me through our connection.  
  
“What did you do wrong? Oh, I'm sure you already know,” he growled, standing up and facing me with narrowed eyes. He gestured to the destroyed piece of fabric and shouted, “This is a crucial piece of evidence and you fucking destroyed it  _and_  tried to get rid of it When did you plan on telling me that we have until Monday night until the next person dies? We promised to let Victoria know the current status of the case, no matter the consequences! What if it had been different last night? Would you have even let her know if I was missing?!”  
  
His violet eye glowed brightly with his rage and I clenched my hands into tight fists, about to yell back at him when my headache suddenly became so much worse.  
  
 _Oh look, he's angry at you. Is that reason enough for you to overpower him? You can show that scrawny brat what you can do, Sebastian._  
  
Something snapped inside of me as I was compelled to let my dark side finally go and my eyes burnt crimson as I felt my self control break away. My hand wrapped around his skinny, pale throat and I pulled him close to me, squeezing slightly as I kissed his lips roughly. He squirmed under my grip before I released his neck and dropped him onto the couch, looming over him.  
  
Ciel gasped for air under me as our kiss became even more violent as I bit his lip, drawing blood. The sweet crimson liquid caused me to moan as I felt his face wet with tears. A small cry left his lips as my hand slipped down the front of his sweatpants and he fought to get away from me.  
  
He screamed as I bit his neck, breaking the skin, my hand wrapped around his hardening erection before he moaned loudly, almost unable to give his order. “Sebastian, I ord- _ah_ , order you to get away from me.” His words were drawn out and broken, but as his sentence ended, I was forced to pull away from him, my needs unsatisfied; I could almost taste the sweetness of his tainted soul on my lips.  
  
I stood still as I took in the younger male's appearance. His lips were swollen, the previous scab bleeding profusely; a dark bruise soaked in crimson was forming on his neck, dominating the small green marks that were there before; and his pants were dangerously low on his hips. He looked terrified and I stared down at my hands, opening my mouth before closing it as another horrible thought stained my mind.  
  
 _Why end the fun so soon?_  
  
The younger male cried soundless tears before rushing upstairs and locking himself in the bathroom. I remained frozen, staring at nothing as the floor was littered with black downy feathers before pulling out my phone and dialing the first number that came to my mind.  
  
“ _Hello?_ ” Claude's voice rang through the speaker.  
  
“I'm heading over there right now. I desperately need help; I almost ruined Ciel.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I wrote the ending of this chapter out on paper, I had no faith in it. I sat there and thought, "This is the worst chapter that I've ever written in my life," and I guess that's mainly because I haven't been 100% these past few weeks. Yesterday though, when I typed it all out, I changed it quite a bit and well... that's the reason why it ends the way it does and that's why there is a trigger warning on this specific chapter.
> 
> On another note, I didn't post a chapter in time for DWtD!Sebastian's birthday, which was October 30th (I didn't make his birthday Devil's Night; I don't know what you're talking about). This story is also about to be ten months old and is currently the longest amount of time I've spent writing a story that wasn't a coauthored fic. Truthfully, I don't know how much longer it'll take me to complete this tale (though it seems that we are heading towards the end), but I have so say that it's been quite an experience so far.
> 
> Thank you guys for sticking around so far, and I hope to see you at the end.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Subscribe/Enjoy!


	32. That Lady and His Master, Terrified

-Elizabeth's Point of View-  
  
I could taste blood in my mouth as I slowly regained consciousness. The last thing I remembered was being in a graveyard seeing Ciel with a woman who was holding something behind her back. I tried to escape, but two people were holding me back; two people who didn't seem to be... human. There had been something about the their eyes, white and green, that threw me off, but I didn't have time to question it; all I had known was that I needed to free myself.  
  
A groan escaped my lips as I tried to rub my eyes only to hear the clank of the handcuffs that had my hands rendered useless. I looked up, seeing my three knives and garter laying in front of me, only to hear a small, high-pitched, female laugh from the other side of the room. My eyes met two pairs of orbs and I gasped; it was the same people as earlier, but the woman looked different. Instead of her having two white, blind orbs, one held a deep gray iris and pupil while the other was dark red and simply bore a crimson pentagram that mimicked the design of a spiderweb; it was similar to the symbol that Ciel had.  
  
I stared up at her with wide eyes as she cooed, glanced up at the man beside her, “Oh, Ronald, doesn't she look absolutely shocked? It seems like she would have woke up sooner to realize that she had gotten herself into trouble when she tried to run away from us.” She laughed loudly, walking over and picking up the engraved knife that my father had given me for my birthday. She stared at the blade, running a hand through her white hair before she was next to me in a flash, the silver edge biting into my neck. “I thought I had you put down in that alleyway, you bitch,” she growled, her crimson eye glowing.  
  
I heard Ronald clear his throat before he grabbed the hood of her vest, pulling her back before muttering, “Cut it out, Kasadya; we have to keep the pet for now or  _she'll_  be mad at us. Besides, you'll have enough chances to play until we have that Phantomhive brat.”  
  
My eyes darted between the two of them. Play? I had a slight idea of what they meant by the simple, four-lettered word as I fought my restraints, growling in frustration as Kasadya giggled in hysterics.  
  
She leaned forwards, placing her hands on her knees as she said softly to her companion, “Ronald, darling, go get the camera; Lord Phantomhive deserves another video for motivational purposes.”  
  
Her eyes shined brightly with her words as she walked towards a table, running her fingers over objects that I wasn't able to see. The green-eyed male mumbled softly to her before stepping out of the room as I was left to stare at a pair of mismatched eyes that were watching me very carefully.  
  
“Why are you doing this?” I asked loudly, fighting the metal cuffs once again as her gaze lost mine for a moment before she picked up a butterfly knife that had a stained green handle and flicked it open; I knew by now that it was her preferred weapon of choice. She chewed at her crimson lips for a moment before answering, “For protection, safety, a family to call your own, and the satisfaction to watch you pampered, lowly, motherfuckers pay for once.” She clenched her hand tightly into a fist before approaching me with cautious steps and leaning down in my face, whispering, “I also enjoy hearing you scream and beg for mercy.”  
  
A slightly burn ran across my face as she cut my cheek with the knife and I stared at her, catching the quickest glance of fury and sadness in those two, different colored eyes. I could tell that she had, had a dark past and that she was mislead into the life that she currently lived.  
  
She turned away from me, going to grab another item as Ronald walked back into the room, a small camera in hand. His green-yellow eyes almost seemed as if they were glowing as he sat it on a stand in the corner, flicking on a glowing red light that indicated that he was recording me.  
  
Kasadya hummed softly, walking towards me, the green knife in hand once again before she sung quietly, “'Why cry, mother bird?' They began to say. Because my little blackbird flew away.” She smiled at me, winking as the words echoed throughout the room in their taunting tone.  
  
I shivered as she turned around to face the camera and cooed, “Lord Phantomhive, good evening. I thought I'd give you a show just to remind you how much time you have left until more innocent blood is spilled. May I remind you, you can easily stop all of this, Ciel.”  
  
Before I even realized it, Kasadya kicked me in the ribs and my pained scream was quickly silenced with a cough. She sliced my arm with her blade while she smiled, kicking me once again and knocking me on my back, her ruthless torture continuing. Her boot slowly turned my skin black and blue as she ripped my dress and stained the ground crimson with each swipe of her knife.  
  
Blood ran down my lips as I cried out when she pulled me up by my hair, simply saying, “Ronald,” before I felt a piece of flaming hot metal being pressed into my shoulder blade. I screamed so loud that my throat hurt and I heard the duo laugh as I stared at the camera lens, praying that Ciel would save me soon.  
  
“H...elp,” I rasped out before I went limp and everything turned dark as I passed out.  
  
\---  
  
“Ugh,” I moaned, looking up to see two girls staring at me as one voice said, “Oh, good; she's waking up.”  
  
The pair watched me carefully, one with blonde hair that almost looked white and gray eyes, the other with black hair and dark green eyes. They contrasted each other when it came to colors and I felt the blonde pull my curls away from my face as I coughed, shaking.  
  
“What's your name, sweetheart?” She asked me as I pulled at the ripped hem of my yellow dress. I coughed again before saying, “Elizabeth Midford; you can call me Lizzy.”  
  
I felt sick as the green-eyed girl drug herself across the floor with her arms. It looked like she had no use of her legs as she handed the blonde a tattered blanket before sitting up once again. She stared carefully at me as I was covered up by the blonde; it almost was as if she was analyzing me.  
  
“I'm Lydia Victoria,” the blonde said before gesturing towards the other girl, “and this is Sieglinde Sullivan. I believe I've seen you around school before; you're dating the kid with the eye patch, right?”  
  
I nodded my head slowly before saying in a raspy voice, “I was. His name is Ciel and h-he's working towards finding us right now.” Their eyes brightened up with my words before I asked with a cough, “Do you have any water?”  
  
Sieglinde nodded her head, crawling across the floor before grabbing a rusted bucket that caused me to cringe. The water sloshed in its container as she made her way over to us and Lydia helped her halfway. You could tell that the pair had become quite familiar with one another.  
  
I hesitated as I took a drink of the slightly murky liquid, but I didn't have much of a choice; my mouth was almost too dry to even speak. Coughing once again, I found both sets of eyes before asking them, yet another question, “Who was with all of you? What have they done?” I knew the questions were prying, but I needed to know just in case I could get into contact with Ciel.  
  
They looked uncomfortable before Sieglinde finally spoke in a thick German accent, “Hannah Anafeloz, Bryce Hansel, and Irene Diaz aren't with us anymore. Grelle Sutcliff and William Spears turned out to be one of them. All that's left is me, Lydia, and Ash Landers.” Her eyes lost mine as she played with her ripped sleeves before reaching up and touched a jagged fresh cut on her face.  
  
“The-They've done quite a bit,” Lydia stuttered, “Bryce and I were together when we were taken. We were thinking about getting back together and, well, they took ad-advantage of that,” her words broke and caught in he throat as she wiped her eyes, looking at me once more,” I saw him die in front of me. The-They stabbed him repeatedly and I watched the light fade from his eyes.”  
  
She sniffled, trying to hold back tears as Sieglinde wrapped her arms around the older girl before she broke down, sobbing. I felt bad for forcing her to relive the moment and I had to look away, biting my lip. I took another sip of water, pulling the blanket tighter around me before running my hand over the fabric that would cover my garter if it was there. I felt naked and uncomfortable without my knives; I wasn't able to defend myself as I was taught to.  
  
I shivered, jumping as the door slammed open, a man with long gray hair and scars across his face standing there with a bright smile. He giggled, looking over us with bright green eyes that matched Ronald's.  
  
“Hello, ladies! It's playtime!”  
  
\---  
  
-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
My skin was red and raw from scrubbing as I sunk down further into the bathtub. Elizabeth was missing, Sebastian's inner demon was breaking free, and here I was, hiding away in scalding hot water that had long grown cold. I stared up at the frosted glass skylight that was cracked to use as a vent, even though the night had only brought cold air.  
  
My phone vibrated on the sink, falling off and hitting the bathroom tile. I jumped at the sound, coaxing myself to get up and check it before grabbing a towel and slowly climbing out of the tub. Picking up the device, it once again vibrated, informing me that I had a missed call from Sebastian and a text from another unknown number.  
  
I ignored the thought of calling Sebastian back and opened the text only to be unable to tear my eyes away from the video I had received. My stomach lurched with Lizzy's screams and the sick smile Ronald held as he pressed the brand into her back caused me to drop my phone and rush to the toilet, tasting my dinner for the second time tonight.  
  
Wiping my mouth off with a washcloth, I cracked open the bathroom door yelling, “Sebastian,” only to receive no response. Slowly, I crept out of the room, heading towards the bedroom, taking notice of the empty loft and the pieces of fabric that still laid on the floor; I still needed to email Victoria about Irene and the very few days we had left to save the others.  
  
I glanced at the time, surprised by how late it was as I pulled on a sweatshirt, a light jacket, and a pair of jeans before grabbing my keys and shoulder bag before heading out the door.  
  
I tore down the empty West Side street, heading towards the main operation of my family's business. Easter was tomorrow and I knew no one had been at the factory for a few days since the workers had been off since Wednesday. There was something I needed to pick up from the office and I was now realizing that I needed it more now that ever.  
  
It was strange driving through an empty parking lot at almost eleven at night, waving at the security officer who, I was almost certain, had fallen asleep in his car. I rolled my eyes, walking towards the factory's main doors, mumbling how I needed to talk to Tanaka about hiring someone who knew how to do their job.  
  
I turned the flashlight on, on my phone as I entered the dimly lit facility, glancing down at all the machines that were typically running loud enough to deafen someone; it was so silent you could almost hear a pin drop from the other side of the building. My keys jingled in my hand as the hair on the back of my neck stood up and I tried to chase away the thought that I wasn't in this building alone.  
  
Unlocking the door to the office, I flicked on the light, shrugging off my jacket and glancing over the papers that Tanaka had left on my desk before placing them in a file to take home with me to look over later. My fingers ran over my nameplate before I walked over to a fireproof safe that sat in the corner, crouching down to put in the pass code that my father had created when I was younger.  
  
The safe opened easily and I moved the documents aside to look at the last relics that was left of my family. I stared carefully at a couple of pictures, Mother's pearl necklace, and a letter that was left to Tanaka just two days before the fire. I pulled it out of the yellowing envelope, staring at the handwriting and stationary before reading its contents.  
  
 _Tanaka,  
  
I know this is such a strange letter to receive from me, but I was the thinking the other day, with Ciel's tenth birthday coming up so soon, what if something was to happen to Rachel and I before he turns eighteen?  
  
Please do not take these words out of context since it's only merely a thought, but what if something did happen?  
  
I know Angelina would become his guardian and she'd watch over him to the best of her ability, but what of the company?  
  
If I were to perish, I hand Funtom over to you to watch over and to do whatever you see fit with it. I want to ensure that it ends up in trusted hands; my father didn't create it for nothing and I don't want a damn Bathory to make a monopoly of anything that was once in the Phantomhive name.  
  
Tanaka, I want to thank you for being such a wonderful friend to my family and please watch over my son carefully if you need to; you never know what kind of trouble he'll get into. I want to make sure he becomes the mature young man that Mother and Father, and Rachel and I would be proud of.  
  
I shall see you when I return from my vacation Wednesday, the fifteenth. I hope all runs smoothly until my return.  
  
Vincent Alexander Phantomhive_  
  
It had been forever since Tanaka had told me the story of how her and Father would write each other letters sometimes when they had a few days off, but reading my father's words once again... it was almost as if he knew that the fire was going to happen.  
  
My eye ran over the name Bathory over and over again, but I couldn't put the name with a face. I growled in agitation, shutting my eye before slipping the letter back into the envelope and placed it into my folder; maybe I could use it for the case, but I wasn't too sure yet.  
  
I reached in the far back of the safe, my finger wrapping around the item that I had came here for. Pulling the object out of the safe, I stared at it in slight awe.  
  
One of the things that was left to me was my father's small collection of guns. Though almost all of them were lost in the fire, there were a few that he had kept in other places in case of an emergency. When I was nine, he taught me how to shoot and I was good at it with the exception of them tending to kick back and knock me off balance when they went off.  
  
I pulled the weapon out of its holster, double checking that the safety was on before making sure it was fully loaded. Before all of this mess started, I rarely felt the need to carry a weapon on me during a case. Last night had changed that though; I was still sore and covered with a few wounds that would probably leave scars.  
  
I locked the safe, slipping the folder into my bag and placing the gun back into its holster before pulling it on. I quickly jerked on my jacket before heading out of the office, my eyes roaming around the empty factory as I heard a loud bang that caused me to stop in my tracks.  
  
There was a laugh behind me as the emergency lights began to flicker and I shouted, “Who's there?”  
  
My hand quickly reached for the gun, surprised as I realized that I may be using the weapon sooner than expected. I took a cautious step away from where I heard the noise and all I saw were a pair of bright green eyes and razor sharp teeth before the lights were out.  
  
“Poor, Ciel, all alone in the dark. Where's your guard dog at right now, sweetheart? I'd love to see his gorgeous face,” Grelle taunted me as I could hear her heels clicking against the concrete. I backed up once again, my first instinct to pull out my weapon, aiming where the sound was coming from.  
  
She whistled my mother's lullaby as my one eye began to adjust to the darkness, the other burning fiercely before she called out to me again, “Why so shy? Did you not have enough fun with us yesterday? Did you really think you were safe in your family's precious factory?”  
  
There was a high-pitched giggle that ripped through the air before I heard a cranking sound as a chainsaw roared to life. My eyes grew wide and my legs felt frozen before both of my hands gripped the gun tightly out in front of me as Grelle sang, “How did the end of that lullaby go? There was once beauty in the day, before my little blackbird flew away.”  
  
“Get the fuck away from me!” I shouted, firing the gun and all of a sudden, there was a figure standing right in front of me. I stepped away, the blade of the chainsaw pressed into the figure's shoulder; black smoke had filled the room and a feather ran down my cheek as I heard liquid drip onto the floor.  
  
“Aha, Sebas-chan; it looks like you've been shot  _and_  sliced open!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started this story, I swore to myself that I'd never use two points of view in a chapter... Well, that didn't work out because I had planned to show you all how Serpentine treats their hostages and introduce a new character before switching off to something else.
> 
> It may be a few weeks before I put out a new chapter because I shall be working on my entry for a contest on Mibba. It's going to be a Kaneki Ken x Tsukiyama Shuu (Tokyo Ghoul) fic so be watching out for that, darlings, if you're interested in that pairing. 
> 
> Also, I hit 3000 words. That's quite an achievement since it's been awhile.
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Enjoy!


	33. That Butler, Fighting

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
“Sebastian?” Ciel's voice whispered from behind me in the dark. It was painful; I currently had a bullet somewhere in my lower back and the blade of a chainsaw buried into my right shoulder; I couldn't help but grit my teeth as I stared at the green eyed, redhead in front of me. It may hurt, but I had to protect the younger male behind me at all costs.  
  
I wasn't sure how I arrived at the factory, but that voice had been nagging me over and over that even though I had almost caused harm, myself, to Ciel, he needed help. A pitch black mist had covered the entire area and feathers rained down around us as my mark and eyes glowed, proof that I wasn't entirely human.  
  
Grelle's eyes stared at me as she jerked her weapon out of my shoulder, smiling brightly. “Would you like to dance, Sebas-chan?”  
  
I pressed my hand to my wound as it slowly started to heal and glanced back at the younger male behind me, saying softly, “Go. I'll find you and keep you safe; just go.”  
  
A cerulean orb stared back at me before he clenched his hands into fists and snapped, “I don't care why you did what you did earlier, but I won't forgive you if you let her overpower you. Sebastian, I order you, don't let her escape here free!” I felt a sudden power fill my body as I heard Grelle's soft laugh and I replied, “Yes,  _domine mi_.”  
  
As the younger male retreated, I turned back to the redhead as she said to me, “Ah, how long has it been since we've been in the dark together? It's a shame that we're fully-clothed this time around; if only we could go back to that moment...” She sighed, placing the blade of her weapon to the ground before meeting my eyes once again, “Alas, that was under other circumstances though. How about we party?”  
  
She swung the chainsaw as if it weighed nothing, the blade roaring to life, and a sharp-toothed smile graced her lips as she ran towards me. I gripped my shoulder tightly, avoiding her strikes as I bit my lip. She was quick, deadly, and beyond psychotic; she was enjoying every moment of this and the more my injury pained me, the slower my reaction to her blows got.  
  
I jumped over the railing, landing in the lower level of the factory where the machines were located. As I hid to recover, she stared down from the balcony, singing loudly, “You know you can't hide for long, Sebas-chan.”  
  
I hissed softly as I applied pressure to the injury, the bullet wound already healed when she called out, “You know, that boy has grown up so much in the past year; he's matured quite a bit living on his own. I'm sure Angelina would be so proud of him.”  
  
Instantly, I looked at her as she walked down the stairs and softly laughed to herself. I had only heard the name Angelina twice since I had met Ciel; he had always referred to his aunt as Madam Red due to how much she loved the color. Grelle saying the name though... there had to have been a story hidden in her words.  
  
She paced the floor as I crawled further down the line before her words slowly echoed off the walls when she continued, “Did you know that she couldn't have kids of her own? Oh, the irony; she brought babies into this world daily, but during her only pregnancy, she and her husband were in a car accident; she lost the closest person to her, her unborn child, and her fertility that day,” he heels clicked on the ground as she sighed, “Sadly, I can't have children due to my gender at birth, but losing those things will ruin a woman. To only make matters worse, she had to take the lives of the unborn because their mothers didn't want them.”  
  
She shook her head as I stood up, backing into a corner, still out of sight, before growling, “What does she have to do with this?” I glanced down at the torn sleeve of my shirt, noticing how the skin was now simply a thin, almost invisible, scar.  
  
Taking cautious steps, I began to slowly head towards the female as she continued her story, “What a shame; why would a mother want to take the life of her own child? Angelina cried out, asking someone to help her seek revenge against those women and Demona picked me to be the lucky one,” she laughed, glancing in the direction that I was standing.  
  
“She began to feel guilty after the sixth murder. I figured she was tried of the mess that I had been cleaning up, but then she said she wanted to turn herself in, to admit to her crimes. I had to constantly listen to her worrying about what would happen to your boyfriend while she was in jail, but that didn't last very long.”  
  
Grelle stopped for a moment, playing with the blade of her chainsaw as I continued forward, my hand stinging before she said in a mocking tone, “Do you know how hard it was to make it seem like she died in another, fateful car accident? Oh, how Ciel cried. I was in the back of the crowd during the funeral; it was so beautiful when he brought in the bouquets of roses and spread the petals over her open casket.” She stood in front of me, smiling before cooing, “And the irony of it all was that she hated the color red; she only wore it in hopes of winning Vincent Phantomhive's heart like she did when she was sixteen!”  
  
The female giggled, revving up the weapon once again, running towards me as I reached for a metal bar behind me, tearing it off the wall before catching the blade right before it sliced into the skin of my back. Sparks flew off the iron as she slowly cut it and I growled, “How could you do such a thing to him when she was the last of the family that he had?”  
  
“We didn't do anything. Angelina caused her own pain; she lead herself into death. I  **had**  to kill her in order to protect Serpentine's name!” The metal snapped and I barely dodged the saw as it came at me. Quickly, I ran between the machines as she shouted, “Besides, we didn't even want trash like her; Demona only wants the Phantomhives for what they did to her family!”  
  
The blade sunk into the wall above my head as I kicked Grelle's legs out from under her, causing her to collapse to the ground with a small shriek. With ease, I pulled the weapon from her hands, turning it towards her and saying, “I wonder what would happen if I put this pretty little thing through your chest? Would you die or would you just heal so that I can do it again?”  
  
The black mist swirled around us as her eyes screamed her expression of fear. I could feel my inner demon being set free from Ciel's order and the voice growled in my head.  
  
 _Do it. Kill her! **Do it!**_  
  
A wicked smile spread across my face as I raised the chainsaw above my head, snarling, “You don't deserve to live if you cause harm to my young master.”  
  
As I aimed the blade to fall upon her, I was suddenly stopped as two hands wrapped around my raised arms and lips were placed to my ear, “Sebastian, you don't really want to do this, do you?” My demon's thirst for blood still rang loudly through my head as I stared down at green eyes, the voice humming softly into my ears once again, “Do  _you_ really want blood on your hands?”  
  
I glanced up at the hands, my eyes catching the sight of perfectly manicured, black nails and a crimson contract seal before the grip tightened just enough for me to drop the weapon. Grelle caught it as if it were only a mere ball before running off and disappearing into the dark as the hands pulled my arms down to my sides, stilling holding on tightly. As the person walked around me, I met light blue eyes with snake-like slits for pupils, fangs drawn into a smile.  
  
“Ah, Sebastian, it seems as if you've failed to follow your  _young master's_  orders,” Mother cooed as she stared at me intently before I snapped back at her, “If you're here to beg for my obedience and Ciel's soul, I'm not interested in what you're selling.”  
  
She looked amused, her eyes fading back to their typical wine color before saying, “Your father must be watching over you, darling; my, if Lucius could see you now.” My eyes studied her features carefully and and I had taken notice that she didn't even look close to the age she was; she barely looked like she could be twenty-five.  
  
A small smile spread across her face as she said, “There are pros to joining us, my son. You have family, the ability to claim the throne, loyal followers, a chance to learn what you are, any soul you want,  _immortality_.” My eyes widened at the final word and she chuckled lowly, “Souls can do quite a bit for you; I've never felt so alive in my entire life.”  
  
I tried to pull away from her grip, but it only grew stronger as I fought it. My eyes glowed their deep crimson as I snapped, “Why should I even trust you? You and Father left me without contact for years and then you just show back up to do what? Draw my attention? Steal an already claimed soul? You don't even make fucking sense and you never have. If I even did join you, what do I get out of it? There has to be something more to it.”  
  
Mother's eyes flashed blue as she chuckled softly, “I'll let the four I have go and you'll get your first chance to taste something that I've been waiting to mature into the perfect, corrupted soul for six years.”  
  
A gunshot echoed throughout the room and her eyes began glow brighter as she turned around, smiling at the younger male that stood in front of us, his violet eye burning brighter as his lip was curled into a snarl.  
  
“Ah, young Phantomhive-” She began before he once again fired shots, emptying the clip into her chest, always missing her heart as his shaking hands caused his aim to be off. Mother grunted in pain before she began to pull the bullets out of her skin when Ciel ran out, looking at one and mumbling, “This one is going to take a little while to heal,” as if it didn't phase her one bit.  
  
She dropped the small object onto the floor as Ciel fell onto his knees, frantically searching for another clip as she glanced back at me, saying, “Please consider my offer, son. I will be coming again to see you very soon.”  
  
Just as the other male fired his weapon one last time, it was almost as if she had never been standing in front of me and I searched around only to find nothing, but a set of mismatched eyes staring directly at me. Ciel shouted out in his frustration, grabbing the bar that I had abandoned earlier, throwing it and taking his anger out using violence.  
  
I stood there, staring at my hands and I realized that this could have already ended if only I didn't panic each time she was in front of me. I had the power to get rid of her, but time after time again, I had failed to dispose of her.  
  
The beginnings of another migraine sat in the back of my head my inner demon weakly said one question that caused my blood to run cold:  
  
 _Will you even be able to do the only thing and kill your mother?_  
  
\---  
  
Ciel laid curled up under the covers as I sat on the edge of the bed, a cigarette perched in between my lips, its ember glowing in the darkness of the bedroom. We hadn't spoken to each other since those shots were fired and the first thing Ciel did when we arrived home was hide away in the sheets. It was just past three in the morning and I had no idea if the younger male was still awake; I didn't want to be the first to talk in fear of him being upset with me.  
  
I stubbed out the butt in the ashtray beside the bed, about to reach for another cancer stick when my boyfriend said in a raspy voice, “You thought about taking her offer, didn't you?” He sounded as if he had been crying, but I hadn't heard his sobs throughout the night.  
  
Turning around, I looked towards his way only to find his back facing me. He had the blanket almost pulled over his head and I chewed at my lip. To be truthful, I had thought about accepting what my mother was placing in front of me, but only to save the four that were being held hostage.  
  
“I want to save them as much as you do if that's what you're asking,” I said, lighting another cigarette, inhaling the smoke and turning to face back towards the entrance as I felt him trembling.  
  
My mark stung as he sat up and shouted, “What the fuck is wrong with you? How could even consider an offer like that when there have been innocent people who have been hurt and killed by them? She may be your family, but do you really want to be like her? Do you want to be with me or do you just want to cause the same harm that they've done to me?”  
  
My reddish-brown eyes met his mismatched ones as he left me speechless. This topic had came up between us once before and he knew I'd choose him any day, but somehow, at this moment, I hadn't even thought about what me joining them meant to him. Me even considering Mother's deal almost stood as tall as the fires, the murders, the kidnappings;  _I_ had actually thought about joining  _them_  hoping to protect the younger male.  
  
His eyes burned into me as he snapped, “You did. Your eyes are telling the whole fucking story.”  
  
I heard the sheets being thrown back as he climbed out of the bed, standing in front of me as a bloody tear ran down his cheek. His jaw was clenched and he took the cigarette from my hands, bringing it to his own lips and taking a drag before slapping me across the face, shouting, “Do you even love me because after all the shit that has happened, I'm questioning why I'm even here?”  
  
I felt degraded, like I was no better than dirt, and as my cheek stung, I could feel my rage boiling; him treating me like this only pissed me off. I stood up, towering over him before snapping, “Well, leave then. I'm not stopping you. If you're questioning if I love you, then go out and solve this goddamn case yourself. If you really want to, get the fuck out.”  
  
His eyes were red and he wiped them with the back of his hand, stamping the thin stick out with bare foot. “You know what? I never opened myself up to anyone, not even Lizzy, and you think that just because I question a life changing decision that you think is so great, makes me the bad guy? Fuck you, Sebastian.” He was trying to reach up to yell in my face, “I just wanted something good in my life for once and I regret ever letting you get under my skin. If I had never met you, I could still be living my boring fucking life with a girl who was too far in love with me to even realize that I only cared for her. I fucking love-”  
  
His back hit the concrete wall, trapped, as I stood over him before kissing him roughly. He moaned as my tongue invaded his mouth and wrapped his arms tightly around my neck before I picked up his small figure, carrying him over to the bed.  
  
He looked up at me with heavily-lidded eyes as I unbuttoned his shirt, my hands laying flat against his smooth white skin. I placed kisses on his neck as he whimpered, his fingers wrapping up in my long black hair before I whispered softly into his ear, “Don't question how much I love you,  _domine mi_. It was wrong of me to even think about Mother's offer, but we're running on borrowed time.”  
  
He tugged at the raven strands before moaning softly in my ear, “I... Just fuck me. For a moment I need to forget what's going on around me; I need that at the very least, Sebastian.”  
  
I stared at him, the need in his eyes, as I hesitated, thinking about how we were fighting only a moment ago, and questioning if he was really okay. He nodded his head as if he could read my mind, whispering with a red face, “I just... I've been stressed out and I needed to get some of it out. Just, please, Sebastian.”  
  
He stared at me in desperation as I kissed him once again, knowing that there was the possibility that he'd still be angry with me in the morning. Tonight though, we needed this and that's all that mattered; we just needed to forget.  
  
\---  
  
The sun warmed my face as I woke up late Easter morning, my boyfriend laying beside me, his lips holding a slight pout as he slept. I yawned, sitting up and stretching before grabbing the jeans that I had abandoned on the floor last night, pairing it with a clean shirt from the closet.  
  
I kissed Ciel on the forehead, whispering softly that I was going to go out to get breakfast as he mumbled something sleepily about getting extra pancakes. I smiled, grabbing my keys before heading outside, walking down the stairs and into the slightly chilly, spring air.  
  
Just as I thought about how ordinary this morning could be for any couple, I heard a whistle and looked over only to see Claude standing next to his truck, a letter in hand. I stared at him, a worried expression crossing my lips as I saw Alois hunched up in a ball in the passenger seat. The younger male looked like he hadn't slept at all and his eyes were puffy as I noticed the crimson seal on the envelope, two snakes pressed into the wax and my heart stopped, my mouth suddenly dry.  
  
“Sebastian, we need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of fighting in this chapter, but hey, there's also a tragic backstory. I know that it's almost identical to what happens in the manga, but some people had asked me what happened to Madam Red. Now it's all up to Sebastian whether or not Ciel should know.
> 
> Exam week is coming up quickly so be expecting a couple of things coming up very soon (maybe a couple of chapters before Christmas). I'm more than likely starting a collab on DeviantART very soon so if you're interested in that, I'll keep you dolls updated.
> 
> Also, as mentioned last chapter, I started working a ShuuNeki for a contest entry so if you like that specific pairing from Tokyo Ghoul, feel free to check that out: http://archiveofourown.org/works/5310293/chapters/12259940


	34. That Trancy, Discovering

-Alois' Point of View-  
  
Claude stood outside the car talking to Sebastian as I sat there, knees pulled up to my chest. Since Lizzy went missing Friday night, I hadn't slept; I couldn't sleep just thinking about how my best friend was stuck with those monsters. I didn't even want to think about how they were treating her or what they were doing, but I was as I chewed at my lip, breaking the skin before tasting blood in my mouth. My skin was crawling and I shivered, catching Sebastian looking towards my way when I glanced up.  
  
This morning, after passing out from exhausting, I woke up to a glass shattering and my boyfriend was clutching a letter tight, the crimson seal broken on an envelope that was sitting nearby. Claude was throwing things in anger as I stood up, running towards him, and holding his wrists tightly as he said, “We have to go see, Sebastian.”  
  
The car door opened and the older male leaned down in front of me before saying softly, “Sebastian and I, we have to take care of some personal business. Do you mind staying with Ciel for a bit? Will you be okay with that?” His yellow eyes watched me carefully as I held my zebra-print blanket tightly before nodding my head and whispering, “Only if you'll walk me up there.”  
  
He lifted me from out of the car, fingers running through my blond locks before we began to head upstairs, Sebastian's reddish-brown eyes watching us; there was concern in his expression. I glanced up at my boyfriend, chewing at my slightly bloody lip as I mumbled, “This has to do with  _them_ , doesn't it, Claude? Yo-You'll be safe, right?” I leaned my head on his shoulder as he glanced down at me, whispering softly, “It does, but don't worry about it. I need you to just think about yourself and Ciel; Sebastian need both of you to stay together. Please, Alois.”  
  
Teal met yellow as I stared at him, slowly nodding my head as I placed a small kiss on his cheek when he knocked on the door. The two of us heard the door unlock as Ciel stood there in an oversized shirt, tying on his eye patch over the violet contract symbol before yawning, “Sebastian just left to get breakfast; you guys can come in if you'd like.”  
  
Claude sat me down, my bare feet touching the cold wood of the floor before he said, “I'm sorry, but something has come up; Sebastian and I have business to take care of and you and Alois need to stay here for the time being.” The younger male's cerulean orb went wide before he snapped, “No, no, you can't mean that  _she_  wants to talk to you also?”  
  
I didn't understand who they were talking about, but I wrapped my arms tightly around my boyfriend's waist, tears welling up in my eyes. He held me against him as he looked at Ciel before the younger male said, “Make sure he doesn't fall for any of her goddamn tricks. Watch him carefully, Claude; you know that he can't fully control himself yet.”  
  
My boyfriend nodded, leaning down and kissing my trembling lips softly before I whispered, voice cracking, “Claude, I order you, come back here alive at all costs. I don't care what you have to do, just come back to me.” His eyes flashed fuchsia for a moment, fangs revealing as he gave me a gentle smile before whispering, “Yes, your Highness.”  
  
My fingers held onto his until he was out of reach, shutting the door behind him. Before I even realized it, my legs fell out from under me as Ciel locked the door, tears freely falling down my face. I couldn't stand the thought of losing Claude after Lizzy had suddenly disappeared from my life. Ciel approached me, sitting by my side as he held me against him. He didn't say a single word as I cried into his shoulder, he just kept his arm around me until I couldn't cry anymore.  
  
\---  
  
I woke up on the couch, my blanket wrapped tightly around me as Ciel sat at the coffee table, his back facing me as he was writing down notes on a lined sheet of paper. I figured I must have cried myself to sleep as my eyes felt swollen and the younger male glanced back at me with a look of worry. He turned back to his work before saying softly, “When was the last time you actually slept, Alois?”  
  
My lips were pulled in a tight line as I laid back down, wrapping my blanket tighter around me before whispering, “Thursday night. I-I overheard Sebastian and Claude talking about how Undertaker and his brother, Ronald – I think that was his name – killed Luka. It makes sense and I just keep having these nightmares over and over about him and I just can't take it.”  
  
He glanced back at me once again and I took notice at the dark bruise around his violet eye. Quickly, he turned back to his work and said, “I have nightmares also. I dream about my parents, and the fire, and the damned, cruel things that have happened to me in my life,” his pencil broke and the air was silent before he continued, “I understand the nightmares and I know it makes it hard to stay asleep. The only thing I can tell you to do is just keep the memories of him; remember the good things, Alois.”  
  
A soft smile crossed my lips at his words and I thought about the moments my younger brother would follow after me, always excited when we'd go adventuring in a new place and finding something the two of us had never seen before. Ciel grabbed another pencil, continuing to scratch down his notes before reaching down into a folder and pulling out a yellowed letter. My eyes studied the handwriting from where I was laying and I noticed how it was similar to the younger male's, but a tad bit sloppier.  
  
His posture grew rigid as he sat the letter and his notes down, laying his head back on the leather couch before sighing, “I know this question isn't going to make sense, but have you ever heard of a family with the last name Bathory?” Mismatched eyes stared up at me as I asked, “Are they supposed to be a demonic family?”  
  
“I'm assuming they are,” he said, picking up the letter, “See, the person who is in charge of the cult gave me the hint that her father once did business with mine. In my father's letter though, it mentions the last name Bathory and how he didn't want Funtom to fall into their hands for some unknown reason.”  
  
I took the letter from his hands, reading over that single line over and over again before looking at Ciel, questioning, “Have you checked Funtom's records for any associations with nearby factories? There's a possibility that your father worked with another business; a possible rival toy or candy seller.”  
  
He sighed, running a hand through his hair before hissing and covering his eye, “Sebastian is angry over something; my mark is killing me.” He looked up at me with the blind, glimmering orb as I bit down on my tongue, searching for mine and Claude's connection only to receive a faint sting; it was almost as if he wasn't fully there. As I grew worried, I shut my eyes and tried to send the older a male a mental message.  
  
 _Is everything fine?_  
  
I failed to receive a reply, but I put on a small, fake, smile before saying, “I'm sure he's fine; he has Claude with him after all.”  
  
Ciel just shook his head, returning to his notes as the room fell into silence and I questioned if the two demons were _really_  okay.  
  
\---  
  
As the Easter day slowly turned into night, Ciel and I found ourselves caught up in a game of chess. Throughout the day, the persistent sting in the younger male's eye increased and my contract symbol had never felt so numb in my life.  
  
Ciel currently had his hand covering his right eye, wincing every now and again as he contemplated his next move before picking up one of the glass pawns. “Ciel, are you okay?” I asked as his nose scrunched up before nodding his head, “It's just sore. I know there's something wrong with him, but I just don't know what.”  
  
I nodded my head, feeling my phone vibrate in my back pocket only to find a jumbled message from my boyfriend.  
  
Other Half:  _Cloudia Phantomhive. Bittersweet. Be back soon. Can't explain._  
  
My eyes ran over the message a few times before I showed it to Ciel, a look of confusion crossing his face as he said, “Cloudia? I've never seen that name in my life before...” He pulled out his notepad, jotting down the words before mumbling, “If she has my family's uncommon name though, she must be related to me.”  
  
“Do you have a laptop perhaps? I'm sure that if we search for the name online it might give you something, Ciel,” I suggested as he stood up and walked off. Seeing that named caused something about him to change and I didn't like it; there was a disturbingly distant look in that one cerulean eye.  
  
As he sat down beside me at the coffee table, I watched as he loaded up the computer, opening up a web page before typing in the unknown name. As per usual, Facebook profiles, personal records, and other various things showed up, but two things caught my eye; an obituary and a blog about a cold case.  
  
Ciel clicked on the blog first and it shared the gruesome details of how a woman seemed to have died of natural causes, but she was covered in bloody marks and was found two weeks after her death in the abandoned portion of a Funtom warehouse by some unfortunate worker; the case was never fully investigated due to the family's wishes though.  
  
The younger male bookmarked the blog post before opening up the obituary, reading the details of Cloudia's life, tensing up when he found who she was survived by.  
  
 _...surviving are her husband, Alexander Phantomhive, son, Vincent Phantomhive..._  
  
“She was my grandmother...” Ciel whispered as I watched the younger male. He stared at the screen in shock before mumbling, “Why did my father never mention her name if she was my grandmother?”  
  
His question remained open and empty as there was a knock at the front door before I walked over, looking through the peephole only to find Sebastian and Claude standing there, exhaustion showing in their eyes. Slowly, I opened the door, catching glimpses of blood spatters on my boyfriend's shirt. I watched him before grabbing Sebastian's arm, whispering, “Be careful with him, he's fragile.”  
  
The older male stared at me with a hardened expression for a long moment before I turned around and gave Claude a look, grabbing his shirt and dragging him upstairs so that we could talk in private.  
  
“What happened?” I asked, walking over to the sink and wetting a washcloth that I had grabbed out of the cabinet, gesturing for him to pull up his shirt; I knew that he had an injury where the red stained the cotton.  
  
His eyes bore into me as he said, “I can't talk in full detail due to her, Demona's, power, but she holds a grudge against the Phantomhives; she made that clearly known to us. She also knows how to get into your head; she knew secrets about my family that I know for a fact haven't gotten out.” He lifted the fabric to reveal five bloody, bruised scratches that looked deep; they were something that would have required stitches if he were human.  
  
Claude flinched as I ran the cloth against his skin when I said, “Can you go into detail about your text? Ciel and I found out who Cloudia is, but what does the word Bittersweet mean?”  
  
The older male looked uncomfortable as I continued washing the blood from his side before he mumbled, “It's something in Demona's family name. That's all I can say.” He ran his fingers through my hair as I sighed, leaning against him.  
  
I was about to say something when all of a sudden, Claude and I heard a angry shout from downstairs:  
  
“All my family has been fucking  **murdered**  and I'm next in line, Sebastian. First my grandmother, then my father and mother, fuck, I'm beginning to think that Madam Red didn't die just because of an accident!”  
  
My feet carried me out of the bathroom and I looked down at the lower floor, the couple standing up, Ciel clenching his fists tightly as he shook in his fury. Sebastian tried to reach out to grab his boyfriend's arm, but the younger male slapped his hand away, shouting, “Don't fucking touch me!”  
  
Claude grabbed my shoulder, trying to pulled me away from invading in the argument before Ciel screamed, “Why can't you even tell me why or what everything you talked about means? Sebastian, I order-”  
  
“If you order me to reveal her information to you besides what Claude and I are allowed to, she will come and kill you without a second thought.  _I_  don't even know what exactly she meant when she said something about why she hates your family. Basically, all she gave me was that name and Bittersweet; the only reason why is because she wants to keep her little twisted game going,” he snapped back before Ciel stood there, stiff as a board.  
  
The younger male looked as if he was about to shatter into a million tiny fragments, but he just turned around and walked away, saying in a calm voice, “I'm going to go to bed. I leave it up to you to decide whether or not we attend school tomorrow; do keep in mind that we have less than twenty-four hours until Ash Landers becomes the next victim.”  
  
Sebastian looked up at my boyfriend and I before Claude said softly, “Alois and I are going to go home. Just call me if you need anything, Sebastian.” The male nodded his head in acknowledgment before his gaze lost us as he said, “Be careful.”  
  
\---  
  
As Claude unlocked the door and I was about to walk into the apartment, he quickly pulled me back, stepping in front of me. His shoulders were tense and I shivered at the cold, staring up at him in worry as he yelled, “What the fuck are you doing in my house? You heard Demona's orders; you are supposed to leave Alois and I alone.”  
  
“Ah, but my name is also on the lease, Claude,” a voice rang out and a set of green eyes glowed in the darkness as a long cackle cut into the air like a knife. Undertaker slowly approached us, a smile on his face and I gripped the back of my boyfriend's shirt tightly, tugging at it.  
  
“I don't care if your name is on the lease or engraved into the fucking moon, get out of my house and follow her orders before she sends the rest of her immature puppies after you.” The male in front of me was slowly growing annoyed as the gray-haired man continued to stare us down when I felt myself being ripped away from my boyfriend.  
  
“Claude, I order you to-”  
  
I was cut off as a hand was clapped over my mouth, a blade being placed up to my neck as I heard someone snap their fingers as a woman stepped out from behind Undertakers, my tongue prickling at the sight of her.  
  
“Why are you here, Demona?” Claude asked backing up as she gave him a smile before saying, “I'm here to show your boyfriend what will happen if he continues to assist the young Phantomhive with his  _investigation_.” She spat the last word before she sunk her hand deep into Claude's gut.  
  
I didn't even realize I was screaming until I couldn't coughing, trying my best to catch my breath as the woman laughed before staring at me with demonic eyes, cooing, “Don't worry, darling. This won't kill him; it'll just hurt like a motherfucker.”  
  
I fought against the person who was holding me back, not caring that the knife was cutting my neck, leaving little scratches and trails of blood as I screamed, “Let him go, you bitch! Get your filthy hands off of him! Let him go! Leave Claude alone!”  
  
The older male groaned, dropping down to his knees as she pulled her hands out of his body, licking the blood that stained her pale flesh. She smiled, walking towards me before whispering, “I wonder what your soul tastes like? You almost smell as sweet as Lord Phantomhive.” She tipped my chin up, her lips ghosting mine as I felt dizzy and faint, trying to keep myself awake to hold the most cherished piece of me in place.  
  
She frowned, pulling away and saying softly, “Too bad your boyfriend isn't a part of my bloodline; if only I was able to break your pretty little contract.”  
  
I was dropped to the ground, bruises forming with blood drops down my neck as she pressed the point of her heel into Claude's contract symbol, causing the two of us to wince as it stung.  
  
She softly laughed before saying, “I'll be seeing the two of you around,” and like that, she and the people who had surrounded us were gone.  
  
Slowly, I crawled over to my boyfriend, tears dripping down my face as I held him close to me. He stared up at me with yellow eyes and growled, “Don't worry, Alois, this will heal and I know that Sebastian and Ciel will make sure that, that bitch will end up back in Hell, paying for her crimes as Lucifer sees fit.”  
  
I nodded my head, leaning down and kissing him softly on the lips, wondering just how much longer it was going to take the couple to complete the task.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I have finally made it to over 100k words! This is quite an achievement for me in actuality because this story is particular is currently my longest written story, but not it's also a story with the longest amount of words.
> 
> Now, a few things about this chapter:
> 
> I have come to realize how out of character Claude is and I sincerely apologize for that. In the beginning, I made Alois seem like an annoying person and along with my backstory for him, I felt like he needed someone to love him (but also a reason for his contract). Claude just ended up fulfilling the role and that's why he's the way he is. I apologize for those people who are really big on canon characters; this is my AU so I run it the way I like.
> 
> I also read a lot of obituaries in the past few days just to make sure I got that small segment right. Another thing that threw me off was the spelling of Cloudia's name also. I mean, as you lovelies know already, I made my own spelling for Grell's name. This is not the case though because according to the Kuroshitsuji wiki (http://kuroshitsuji.wikia.com/wiki/Claudia_Phantomhive) it's Cloudia; I had been reading it as Claudia.
> 
> We also don't know a lot about her yet (if you keep up with the manga) so yeah... I was kind of skeptical of putting her name in there. Also, for Ciel's grandfather, I just totally came up with the name Alexander; I mean, I've already used it for Ciel's and Vincent's middle names so why not?
> 
> My next chapter may take a while because I have to update two other stories before getting back to this one. Next chapter though, I'll start going into a little more detail with things since time is running out. Be prepared because things are going to start getting a little wild.
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Subscribe/Enjoy! 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	35. His Master, Searching

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
Tanaka and Sebastian stood near me as I rifled through an old file cabinet, desperately searching for any contracts that could have connected Funtom to Bittersweet. I had woke up early in the morning, looking for any business that may have went by that name in the city, only to come across an article that gave me little information. All I found was the Bittersweet Candy Company once existed in West Side, but was shut down for “unknown reasons”. I questioned what may have happened to the semi-popular company, but rushed over to Funtom the moment my boyfriend woke up, calling Tanaka on the way.  
  
I ignored the stinging pain in my finger as I cut it on the paper, growling in annoyance as Tanaka placed his hand on my shoulder, a concerned look crossing his face as he said softly, “I swore to your father that I'd never give you any information about the Bathory's, but if it's of any use to what you're looking for, I may share what I know from the company's point of view.”  
  
There was sincerity in his eyes as I looked up at him. He took a seat in the chair nearby, folding his fingers together before shutting his eyes for a moment. Sebastian sat up from leaning against the wall as he took interest in the conversation and my eye prickled with his curiosity.  
  
“When you were young, Funtom only sold toys. Your father wanted to expand the business so he formed a five year contract with the CEO of a local candy company by the name of Bittersweet. Leonard Bathory was a strange man and not only did I notice that, but so did your father. They made the deal though; Bittersweet would produce candy for Funtom while we paid them a fairly large sum of money and occasionally provided small treats for their larger, specialty gift baskets.”  
  
He paused for a long moment as he if he was deep in thought before coughing and muttering, “Excuse me,” as he continued, “When your father's and Mr. Bathory's contract ran up, Funtom began producing their own sweets and they proved to be better than the candy company's. Our company grew while Mr. Bathory's seemed to be stuck in time.” His eyes glanced behind me as I pulled my lip through my teeth, knowing that there was more there that I'd have to fight to get out.  
  
“What happened to the company? What caused their downfall?” Sebastian asked as I opened my mouth to speak only to shut it once again.  
  
Tanaka looked between the two of us as I twisted my blue diamond around my thumb. I could tell he was second guessing whether or not to continue, but he pushed his glasses further up his nose and simply sighed, “I don't know the whole story, but three years after the contract ended, Vincent found something about Bittersweet – I don't know why he was searching – and contacted the police. A few days later, the company was shut down, people were arrested, lawsuits were filed, and Mr. Bathory was found to be selling illegal drugs, forcing hostages into prostitution, and other various unspeakable endeavors. All in all, he was using his company to run something similar to a cult by the name of Serpentine.”  
  
I froze in my spot as I realized all the pieces were falling together; Serpentine was connected to Leonard Bathory, who was connected to my father, who was connected to my grandmother. The only questions that remained was where Serpentine was currently, how to end their madness, and what my father may have been searching for when it came to Bittersweet. The last question was more of a curiosity than a necessity, but it was as important as the rest of them.  
  
“Where is Mr. Bathory now? Is he in jail?” I asked, eyes wide, knowing he'd hold the key if I forced the answers out of him.  
  
“Dead.” Sebastian spoke in an unsympathetic voice as my gaze was drawn to his reddish-brown orbs. “He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when I was eight. Mother sent a letter to my grandfather's house that only said a few words, but they all meant the same sinister thing; my maternal grandfather had joined my grandmother and uncle in the pits of Hell where the last of the Bathory clan had died.”  
  
Tanaka was silent as he didn't ask any questions. The red burn that had found Sebastian's eyes slowly died and I figured that Demona succeeded Serpentine's throne after her father's death; my initial theory of Lucius Michaelis creating the cult had been wrong after all.  
  
I slowly stood to my feet, glancing at Tanaka before saying softly, “Thank you, Tanaka. I'm sorry for bringing up things from the past, but I'm working on something for someone important and the information was dire.” He nodded his head while shaking my hand, holding onto it for a moment before saying, “I have a feeling that they're still out there somewhere; I don't know how, but I feel it. Be careful, Ciel. Those people, that group, they're dangerous and I don't want to see you hurt.”  
  
I nodded, knowing perfectly well that he could see most of the scratches and injuries that I had received the night I had been kidnapped and left for Sebastian to find later on. Chewing at my lip, I said, “I promise. If you happen to find more information, please share it with me.”  
  
A soft smile crossed his lips and he spoke, “Yes, Lord Phantomhive.”  
  
\---  
  
I chewed at the end of my pen, glancing at my watch as I saw that it was just past six in the evening. So far, Sebastian and I hadn't found the location of the old Bittersweet factory, but I had a feeling that it was tucked deep, deep away as a police investigation had came up surrounding it.  
  
My boyfriend told me that he didn't see much of his mother's side of the family as she seemed to have kept him away from anything related to them when he was a child. I had a slight feeling that it may have had to do with the family's illegal activities and him being such a young child at the time.  
  
Pulling the pen away from my lips, I knew we had less than six hours to find the location of the old business before another hostage was killed; this upcoming one being a senior named named Ash Landers. Sebastian had been driving around town, searching the addresses of abandoned factories and warehouses that I had given him. I knew a chunk of them previously belonged to Funtom, but so far they all came up empty.  
  
Running another search online, I thought about the motel once again and the newspaper articles that had littered the walls. Very vaguely I remembers the topics of Sebastian's paternal grandfather, my father, Funtom, and other topics that were currently slipping from my mind. Clenching my fists tightly, I grabbed my bag, weapon, and keys, hearing my phone alert me that I had received a new text message.  
  
As I unlocked my phone, a chill ran up my spine as an unknown number sent me a picture message of the back of the older male's car, his license plate number running clear through my mind when I read the caption:  
  
_You're getting warmer~_  
  
I dialed Sebastian's number quickly, lifting the phone up to my ear as my car key dug into my hand with a dull pain. A small sigh escaped my lips as he answered, saying softly, “ _Did you find another warehouse? I'm still searching this one right now in West Side, but have so far found nothing._ ” He sounded slightly annoyed as I chewed at my lip.  
  
“Kasadya texted me with a picture of the back of your car and seems that she's playing a game of “hot and cold” with us. Her message said that you were getting warmer, but that's not it,” I said before he growled, “ _I had a feeling that someone was following me._ ”  
  
Shifting on my feet, I said, “I'll text you the last address that I found, but I think that I'm going to go back and look in that abandoned motel to see if there was anything-”  
  
“ _You can't!_ ” He shouted as I could hear the echo from the background, shutting my eye as it stung. I knew he was worried for my safety, but a person's life was seriously on the line and we had to look at every option that was laying in front of us.  
  
“Those articles may hold the key because Bittersweet is dead and buried, but it was around while we've both been alive. I want those four back and safe _tonight_ if at all possible. Each death means another failure and they have to be found soon, Sebastian.” Authority laced my tone as I slowly continued, “I need you to keep searching and I have to find where in the hell that factory is located. If I need help, I will contact you again.  
  
In the back of my mind, I could see him clenching his teeth before he muttered, “ _Be careful, Ciel; I can only get to where you're at only so fast. I love you._ ” The last three words held worry in their syllables and I looked down at the keys in my hand, questioning if I should leave before saying softly, “Likewise... Love you too.”  
  
The call ended and my lips felt numb. For someone who hadn't felt the emotion of love for years, suddenly saying something like that felt strange and foreign.  
  
I shut my eyes and sighed, heading towards the door, not completely sure what I was running headfirst into.  
  
\---  
  
The motel was cold as the pouring rain dripped through the decaying ceiling, the smell of mildew strong in the air. Everything was eerily quiet as I walked through the halls, my eyes occasionally finding an old bloodstain. I feared that someone was going to step out of one of the rooms and attack me, but I had to do this. I _had_ to find at least one way to save the people that were left.  
  
As I stepped into the room marked with a faded 201, I saw the yellowed papers peeling from their tacks on the walls and stared at the headlines in their boldface letters.  
  
**Dying Musician Plans to Continue Legacy**  
  
**Funtom Begins to Spread Worldwide**  
  
**Phantomhive Family Donates to Charity**  
  
**Royal High School One of the Best In the Area**  
  
**The End of Something So Sweet?**  
  
Quickly, I moved towards the last article, my eyes catching an image of a factory, the name Bittersweet Company in large letters on the side in black. At the end of the name, there was an image of two snakes that wrapped around a light blue lollipop; it was a color that resembled Demona's eyes and I knew that it had to be a hereditary trait among the the Bathory family.  
  
Tearing the article off of the wall, my eyes scanned over the words finding mentions of the police, an “anonymous” person giving a tip, Leonard Bathory, and the last few lines caught my eye.  
  
“ _...demolition of the factory was to be planned early in June, but has currently been halted due to this new case. As of right now, plans for the two new warehouses are still in effect, but may change to these new circumstances._ ”  
  
I ran a hand through my hair, my eye prickling as my phone chirped in my hand and I opened up another text that Kasadya had probably sent to me.  
  
In the message, there was another image of Sebastian's car, but this time the emblem of the snakes was crudely spray-painted on the wall. Scrolling down, I found another caption that caused my skin to crawl:  
  
_Wrong place, but oh so close~_  
  
The thought of the older female following him around caused me to shiver, but I felt better having a slight feeling that Sebastian was finally catching on to what we were looking for through all of the abandoned buildings that littered the city.  
  
Slowly, I left the motel, checking my surroundings carefully as I walked out, my hand wrapped around the small gun that I now kept on my person. Everything seemed almost _too_ normal and quiet as I ran through the rain to get my to vehicle and it made my eye prickle with worry. I lifted my fingers up to the silk patch as I started my car's engine and sighed.  
  
What was life going to be like after I don't have to constantly glance over my shoulder?  
  
\---  
  
“Come on. Pick up the phone, Sebastian,” I muttered, listening to my phone ring as I chewed at my nails. After Kasadya's previous message, everything had gone quiet; Sebastian wasn't answering any of my calls or texts and I was slowly becoming anxious. My lips were drawn in a tight line as I was sent to voicemail for the fifth time and my eyes found the hands of my watch, noticing how close to midnight it was. I didn't know where my boyfriend was and I had less than thirty minutes to find Ash Landers before he was killed and the mere thought of it made me sick to my stomach.  
  
Pacing back and forth in the living room of the loft, I froze as a sharp sting sliced through my blind orb before it was filled by an almost fiery burn. Tears welled up in my eyes as I winced in pain, taking an immediate seat on the couch before they dripped down my cheeks, the right drops being crimson, while the left was a water clear.  
  
I didn't know what this sudden feeling was, but I wiped my eyes, the two liquids mixing together on the back of my hand as I lifted the phone up to my ear one last time, hoping that something horrible hadn't happened to the older male.  
  
The droning ring filled my ear as more tears spilled down my cheeks, another wave of pain causing me to wince. I felt like like my entire body was being consumed by flames as I clawed at the leather of the couch. Something was wrong, but at the same time, it felt one-sided rather than an issue going on through our connection; it felt like this was _my_ problem, not Sebastian's.  
  
“Fuck,” I growled, the ring suddenly ending midway as the call was picked up. Silence held the other end of the line as I hissed through my teeth, “S-Sebastian, are you there?”  
  
“ _I found Ash Landers. He's dead,_ ” he said, voice holding not emotion as I scratched at my arm.  
  
“What?” The pain eased up as I spoke, but it didn't completely fade away. It wasn't midnight; they weren't supposed to kill him until midnight.  
  
I heard him take a deep breath before he spoke, “ _It's bloody and gruesome, but they killed him, Ciel. If you want to come down here, I'll send you the address. I-I don't even know how to explain to you how bad this is._ ”  
  
Crimson dropped down onto my jeans and I sat up a little straighter. “I'll come there. I-I need to make sure it's him myself.” Something wasn't adding up. Something about my boyfriend was off and the thought of it worried me.  
  
“ _I'll wait outside for you then. I'll see you in a bit,_ ” he said, the call ending without the utterance of those three numbing words from earlier.  
  
\---  
  
Four letters were missing from the sign of the factory, the previously brightly colored snakes now dull from years of being alone as the Bittersweet factory stood in front of me. Sebastian leaned against his Mustang, a cigarette in between his lips as I saw a bloody scratch mark on his face, a bruise slowly forming around it. He looked angry as I climbed out of the car, my body still hurting from the slowly dying, invisible flames.  
  
He didn't look at me as he started walking towards the factory, saying softly, “The first night we kissed, the night I showed up at your house drunk, I went to a party here. Supposedly the owner rented it out for the night and even though it was strange, we didn't care; I came to get drunk and try to chase away the feelings I felt for you.” A chuckle escaped his lips as I said nothing, following slowly behind him as we walked into the factory.  
  
The first thing I saw was blood. The large area was empty, but a figure laid in the middle of the room, fresh crimson puddled and splattered all around it. My body slowly carried me towards it, finding the high school senior laying on his side, hair stained, amethyst eyes dull and lifeless. The back of his shirt seized to exist and among the tattoo of black feather wings, a rhyme was carved into the skin, similar to the one Hannah bore.  
  
_London Bridge is falling down  
Falling down, falling down  
London Bridge is falling down  
My fair lady_  
  
A foul taste filled my mouth as I turned away, the food I ate earlier splattering on the ground. There was so much blood, torture, and horrid memories in front of me and I could barely take in the sight of it. I dropped down to my knees as my legs grew too shaky and the first thing my eye found was a black downy feather laying on the concrete.  
  
Looked up, I found Sebastian staring down at me, eyes glowing red as I saw the rips in his shirt, the dark drops staining the gray cotton, and I was taken over by fear, trying to crawl backwards and away from him. I opened my mouth to shout, but my voice died as he smiled, sharp canines poking out.  
  
He walked towards me and said, “I didn't kill him, but I learned something today, my love; even though I was forced to eat it, corrupted souls taste _so_ sweet.” The glowing in his eyes died as he leaned down in front of me and chuckled softly in my ear, “Go to sleep for me, won't you, Ciel?”  
  
My body suddenly grew heavy as I collapsed into the blood, my mind losing consciousness as I passed out, the last sight I saw being Sebastian smiling down at me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy (almost) first birthday, my lovely story of mine! Almost a year ago I started in on writing this mess and look at me now, we're so close to end as more and more secrets are being figured out! I'm so happy right now because I feel slightly successful at something in life.
> 
> So I did a few references to things in this chapter as most of you may know, so hopefully you guys will catch those cute little Easter eggs. Things are going down though and I'm sure a lot of you are screaming just by reading the last line.
> 
> Also, I wanted to explain just one little quick thing. I mentioned something about the light blue color of Demona's eye being hereditary. I thought I'd explain the little headcanon that I created, but I'm not too sure if I explained this before. So, each demon family has a specific color when it comes to their contracts and demonic eye color.
> 
> For example, anyone of the Michaelis bloodline (Diablo, Lucius, Sebastian) has red demonic eyes and purple contract symbols. Anyone of the Bathory bloodline (Leonard, Demona) has light blue demonic eyes and red contract symbols. So, there's something for you all.
> 
> Thank you all for sticking around with me for this long!
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Enjoy! 
> 
> MistressPhantomhive


	36. That Butler, Murderer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight trigger warning for this chapter due to mentions of sexual assault. You have been warned.

My search was fruitless. So far, I had scoured the abandoned warehouses that Ciel sent me addresses to and all I came up with was empty buildings filled with dust and skeletons of former machines. I was worried after Ciel had called and told me that he was going to search the old motel that Grelle had led us to, but it was now only two hours until midnight and the last factory that had came to mind was the one from the party.  
  
As I pulled up to the old building, I saw the faded and missing letters next to a familiar emblem and I knew I had found the right place; standing in front of me was the Bittersweet Candy factory.  
  
With a knife hidden in my leather jacket, I locked the door to my car before I took cautious steps towards the building, my skin beginning to crawl.  
  
The floor of the factory seemed bare without the dancing bodies, the DJ, the bar, and I glanced around the room only to find a figure sitting in the far corner. As I approached them, I noticed the blood that was dried in his white hair, a few scars on his shoulder along with the symbol that was burned into his skin. He shook as I stared at him before saying, “Ash Landers?”  
  
Slowly, he turned around, amethyst eyes meeting mine as tears trailed down his cheeks before he whispered, “Run before they come back. _She's_ after you.” He grabbed onto my hands, streaking them with crimson before he screamed, “Run, Sebastian! Now!”  
  
His voice echoed throughout the room as I heard a chuckle from behind me and I turned around to meet wine-colored eyes and a devious smile. Kasadya stood near her, a red contract symbol glowing in one eye as a gray orb stared at me when she flicked her butterfly knife open; she must not have been totally blind after all.  
  
“I didn't think you'd come searching for me so easily, Sebastian,” Mother cooed, walked towards me as I tried to shield Ash from any sort of attack that she could have planned. I chewed at my lip as she smiled, revealing her pointed incisors as she said, “Where is Ciel tonight? I was looking forward to meeting your boyfriend again, darling.”  
  
Ash held onto the leg of my pants, hands shaking as Mother gripped my arm tightly before her nails dug into my skin and I growled, eyes flaring red, “If you think I'm going to let you lay a hand on Ash or Ciel, you're fucking wrong.”  
  
She scowled before letting go of my arm, a sting running through my face as her nails scratched across my flesh when she smacked me. I could feel the blood trickling down my cheek as she snarled at me, blue taking over the dark reddish color, “Don't you fucking dare talk back to me, Sebastian. I am your mother and you're supposed to listen to whatever I say. That being said, get out of my way; I need to teach you a lesson.”  
  
Before I could even realize it, Ash was now in front of me, Kasadya's fingers wrapped up in his hair as she held the blade of her weapon against his neck. Fear burned in his eyes as he stared at me and Mother smirked, running her fingers over the male's cheek and cooing to him, “You've done horrid things in the past, Ash; I can sense them because they've been carved into your soul. Tell me, how did it feel when you pinned your half-sister down before you had your way with her? Angela? Was that what her name was?”  
  
Tears trailed down his cheeks and I could see the pain in his eyes before he grit his teeth before he spat, “Maybe she deserved it! She should have stopped staring at me the way she did! She _wanted_ me and I knew it!”  
  
There was a grim look on Mother's face and I was frozen as she growled, “And did she deserve to be stabbed to death? Did she deserve to be put in the ground because you were afraid that she couldn't keep her mouth shut?” Her hands clenched into fists as she screamed, “Did she deserve you being allowed to run loose because months later, she attacked you because she couldn't take it anymore, and you claimed self defense?!”  
  
Ash sobbed as Kasadya pulled him to the middle of the floor and Mother waved her hand saying, “Have at it,” before turning to face me. The male's screams ripped through the air as her eyes bore into me, taking a deep breath.  
  
“There's more behind Serpentine than you think, my son,” she said softly as I saw crimson pooling on the floor behind her and I was terrified to see what was going on. “Vincent Phantomhive was afraid to get blood on his hands. See, he had a grudge against my father, your grandfather, because he came across a damned letter that should have been burned long before it was found. The previous Lord Phantomhive hired a hitman before he had your grandfather murdered and staged as if it were a suicide. Because of him, all of our hostages since I have taken control have done something in their pasts to make them the definition of a criminal.” She walked towards me and whispered, “I don't kill for fun. I kill for revenge.”  
  
The screams were slowly turning into strangled, dying, sobs of pain as I heard Kasadya humming, Mother glancing back at her for a moment before saying, “I don't think you're able to see this point of view from where you are currently standing, but I'll show you, darling; allow me to teach you a lesson about demons.”  
  
She turned her back to me and as she started to walk away, I snapped open my knife, running up behind her. She flicked her wrist, nails like talons, and at an instant, I was frozen, staring at her in shock. Smiling, she turned around once more and stopped Kasadya in the process of stabbing Ash once more before saying softly, “Kasadya, honey, I need him alive; you know why.”  
  
Blue eyes bore into me as she addressed me finally, “Did you really think you could pull a stunt like that on me? Sebastian, you're weak compared to a normal demon. By the time, I was eighteen, I had already consumed at least four souls, three in my first year. You don't know power, but now I can truly show you like any demon mother should.”  
  
A smirk held her lips as her back faced me again, the fabric of her dress dragging through the blood before she stared down at Ash, getting close to him, and whispering something that caused terror to fill his eyes. She chuckled softly, lips pressing against his as my eyes began to glow crimson in frustration of being stuck and this sudden, overwhelming hunger, the monster inside me asking to be set free.  
  
I licked my lips and as my mother pulled away from Ash, she smiled, glancing back to me as she whispered, “I can see the hunger in your eyes, my son. I know you've grown close many times to consuming Ciel's soul, but here's one for you, beautifully corrupted.”  
  
Her power left me as I stumbled, blindly running towards the body as Ash's breaths came out in pants. My face hovered above his and his eyes burned into me before he whispered, ever so softly, “Kill me.”  
  
I could feel his soul so close to me as my lips brushed his and I didn't even give him an apology as Mother forced us together, the sweetest taste filling my mouth as my monster's hunger took the best of me. I felt Ash's fingers wrapped around the fabric of my shirt tightly before dropping, his body losing consciousness as the life drifted from him after I took his soul into my body.  
  
When I pulled away, my eyes burned with a new fire as the male's life flashed in front of me; his troubled childhood, his mother's accidental pregnancy, the lusting thoughts he had for his younger sister, the cringing scene where he forced her to do unspeakable things, and all the **blood** and guilt he had carried up until this point.  
  
“Fuck,” I growled, holding my head as Mother rubbed my back and whispered, “Now you understand why I do what I do, darling. They taste so sweet and you'll understand why I attempted to ripen Ciel in the way that I did.”  
  
I turned around, my body on fire as I stared at her, black feathers falling to the ground as I stood up before lunging for her. She ruined me. She fully turned me into the monster that I had begun to fear whenever I lost control around Ciel.  
  
She easily dodged my attack as I only left a small tear in her dress, a red scratch appearing as she cackled, “See, you almost have the strength to be able to catch me. Your father was like that and I'm sure you'll be the exact same; he was never able to beat me when we sparred.”  
  
Something snapped within me as I shouted, “You say you only hurt those who do something wrong, but what about Ciel when he was ten? What about Elizabeth, who can't do anything wrong? What about Lydia Victoria?!” My nails sharpened into pitch black claws as they tore down her arm in rage, pain filling her eyes for only a second before she stood still, attempting to hold me back.  
  
My eyes burned into her, electric blue glaring back as she snarled, “There is something wrong with every person in the universe, my son. Young Phantomhive just happened to be the son of a murderer who thought he could treat the Bathory name as he pleased. In return, I did the same to the Phantomhives.”  
  
She held her arm close to her as the wounds quickly began to heal and I jerked her by the hand, snapping, “He was just a kid. He can't help what his father did, but you had to capture him and you had to torture and attempt to sell him into prostitution. Vincent Phantomhive wouldn't have done what he did without reason!”  
  
A frown crossed her blood-red lips as she glanced back at Kasadya for a moment before she said to me, “Cloudia and your grandfather were going to get married, and he was going to eat her soul, but plans change; you'll learn that soon.”  
  
Her voice echoed throughout the room, but she and the white-haired girl were no longer there; I looked around only to find Ash and a layer of feathers that were slowly disappearing to nothing on the concrete. My body still burned as I felt emotionless, sitting down near the deceased male as my phone rang in my pocket.  
  
Picking it up, I heard Ciel's voice on the other end of the line, but I no longer felt like the person he was calling out to. “ _S-Sebastian are you there?_ ” His voice stuttered through the speaker and I blurted out the only thing that crossed my mind, the ugly truth:  
  
“I found Ash Landers. He's dead.”  
  
My body still felt hot as the sweet taste continued to taint my tongue, hearing him speak once more, “ _What?_ ”  
  
I could feel the shock in his voice as I glanced down at the blood on my hands, my shirt, and spread across the floor as Ash's lifeless eyes stared at the ceiling. I pulled my lip through my teeth and said, “It's bloody and gruesome, but they killed him, Ciel.” _I_ killed him, but I felt no remorse. “If you want to come down here, I'll send you the address. I don't even know how to explain how bad this is.”  
  
I kneeled down, running my fingers through the blood as I questioned if I should feel guilty. He had killed his sister and gotten away with it; I could still see his horrid crimes in the back of my mind.  
  
Ciel's voice was shaky once again as I stood back up, “ _I'll come there. I-I need to make sure it's him myself._ ” The younger male sounded unsure, but I waved it off, putting a cigarette between my lips and stared at my lighter for a long moment.  
  
“I'll wait outside for you then. I'll see you in a bit.”  
  
I hung up my phone, lighting the cancer stick as I made my way out of the building, agreeing with the thought that the monster whispered in my head:  
  
 _Ash Landers deserved it._  
  
\---  
  
I was on my third cigarette as Ciel's car pulled up, the sixteen year old rushing over to me as the mark on my hand prickled. Turning away, I slowly began to head towards the abandoned building as the younger male followed behind me.  
  
“The first night we kissed, the night I showed up to your house drunk, I went to a party here. Supposedly, the owner rented it out for the night and even though it was strange, we didn't care; I came to get drunk and try to chase away the feelings I felt for you,” I laughed softly as he walked slowly behind me, his steps heavy.  
  
I heard him gasp as the caught the sight of blood and the stench of death hung in the air when we walked into the factory. I knew he hated the sight of this; he couldn't stand to see someone dead or dying. I stood a little ways behind him as he approached Ash, that one blue eye staring at the letters carved into the male's back before the tune ran through my head and I felt the demon within me trying to escape at the sight of Ciel hunched over, the contents of his stomaching spilling out near the blood. _He was weak; so pitifully weak._ His legs gave out from under him and his eye became trained to one single feather that was on the concrete, inches away from the pooled crimson.  
  
Crimson flared to life within me as I smiled, Ciel's eyes locking on me, terror filling the cerulean orb before he tried to crawl away from me. His mouth opened, voice dying in his throat as he went to scream out, stumbling before my demonic side chuckled.  
  
“I didn't kill him, but I learned something today, my love.” My voice didn't sound human as I spoke and my hand tingled, “Even though I was forced to eat it, corrupted souls taste _so_ sweet.”  
  
I leaned over him, a smile on my face, and dark intentions in my mind, “Go to sleep for me, won't you, Ciel?” His name drifted from my lips as his arms gave out from under him and he hit the ground, unconscious.  
  
My demon was screaming as if it were a starved animal as I stared down at my boyfriend, licking my lips. If my reward of our contract was his soul, I didn't have to wait. From my understanding, contracts are only formed to make the deal even sweeter.  
  
Slowly, I regained my human composure, my eyes trailing over the younger male before I picked him up, carrying him out to the parking lot and placing him in the passenger seat of my car. I couldn't think because so many things had happened in such a short amount of time and it was slowly driving me crazy.  
  
Reaching down into my jacket, I pulled out my pack of cigarettes, running my thumb over the package before putting the last one between my lips, lighting the end of it and inhaling the poison. With me being the way I am, I wondered if my habit of chain smoking would eventually kill me until my attention was caught by something else; a figure in white.  
  
“Doll?” I called out before her eye caught mine and she just stared, continuing to approach me. She held something tightly in her hands as she said softly, “So she woke you up? I feared that this would happen.” I knew she was talking about my darker side and I stared at her, not saying anything before she continued, “She told me you'd be turned into this one day and I suppose that means I'm running out of time.”  
  
A soft chuckle left her lips and I narrowed my eyes before asking, “What are you talking about? Do you have something to tell us or have you came here to taunt me?” I could feel my canines poking at my lip before as she walked towards me.  
  
Unlike the last time I had seen her, one of her eyes was covered by the roses she wore in her hair; the single eye with thorns painted around it stared at me before she said in a soft voice, “Cloudia was meant to marry Leonard because he had never claimed a soul. It used to be a male demon would take a human bride and kill her the night before the wedding.” Her voice was hollow as she walked towards me, the item in her hands still hidden from my view.  
  
“And?” I questioned, confused with the sudden information and she gave me a slight smile before continuing, “She escaped and he killed her years later.”  
  
Her voice suddenly cracked as tears spilled down her cheeks and she began to apologize over and over. She shook as I walked towards her, trying to figure out what was going on before her eye met mine once again and she smiled, finally revealing a knife that she held in her hand. The silver blade glinted in the flicking light as she whispered, “She sent me here to kill you because you and Ciel trusted me, but I can't do it. I-I c-can't do it... not after the suffering and pain she put Ciel and I through; the pain she continued to put me through until this very end.”  
  
I didn't know how to respond as she continued to cry and I took a step towards her, stuttering, “You don't have to worry. We can keep you away-”  
  
It was too late though.  
  
The pointed blade was sunk deep into her stomach as red spread across the pure white fabric. She smiled softly, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, “I'm sorry, but she forced me to do this.” She collapsed to her knees, her hand still wrapped around the handle as I stared at her in shock. “She used me as an informant a-and she told me that one day you'd be the death of me.”  
  
A soft chuckle left her lips as I wrapped my hand around the knife's handle, hoping to pull it out to stop the bleeding, but as her body hit the ground, I knew that she was already gone.  
  
The white roses on her head fell off to the side and revealed her short brown hair, the other blue eye covered in slowly healing scars as if someone had severely burned her recently. My eyes trailed over the roses before falling to the bloody knife in my hands.  
  
“You bastard! You killed her!” Ciel screamed from inside the Mustang as my eyes grew wide. The scene wasn't what it looked like and I dropped the knife, standing up and shaking my head as he forced himself out of the car.  
  
“Ciel!”  
  
His violet eye glowed furiously as tears ran down his face and I reached out to him, but he smacked me across the face, grazing the injury that my mother had left on me earlier. Cringing, I looked up at him before he snarled, “Sebastian Michaelis, I order you to stay out of my sight and keep out of contact with me until this case is solved. Afterward, I will decide the fate of our relationship.”  
  
My body stung as if a thousand needles were being placed into my skin as I my shoe kicked the knife, listening to the metal slide across the ground before climbing into my car and driving off. I could see his eyes watching me in the rearview mirror and it was one of the most haunting things I had ever seen in my life.  
  
This had been a part of Mother's lesson all along. She wanted to turn me into a full demon that was weaker than her, she wanted my monster free to roam around, she wanted to give me one final, important piece of the puzzle that my boyfriend couldn't reach, and she wanted to rip Ciel away from me in the end.  
  
My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as hot tears ran down my cheeks.  
  
Maybe I was a real monster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pretty long compared to some of the other ones that I've written and I know I'm throwing a lot of information out at once to you guys, but these facts are necessary for the next few (final) chapters. 
> 
> I finally was able to show what happened in the factory and I had been holding in this specific idea for a while. I know I could have executed it better in a different fashion, but I couldn't bring myself to change it after I wrote it all out. I feel like it's better the way that it is for many reasons. 
> 
> Also, yes, I had to make Ash a bad guy. If you've watching the Black Butler anime, you would know who Ash really is and needless to say, he's nowhere near one of my favorite characters. When I chose to write him into the story, I kept his canon actions in the back of my mind and of course, I had to let them free somehow. 
> 
> Personally, I feel like Kasadya and Demona have this kind of daughter-mother kind of relationship and that's why I had Demona watching over her so much in this chapter. I mean, they're both my original characters so I needed to further the connection between them somehow besides their contract. I kind of want to do a chapter in Kasadya's point of view also because she also has a backstory; my question is, would you guys like something like that? 
> 
> Yes, this chapter had a lot of death and a cliffhanger, you don't have to tell me that. There's more to come, especially with what's going to happen next - I already have half of the next chapter wrote out. 
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Subscribe/Enjoy! 
> 
> Also, one of my good friends is drawing Kasadya for me. She won't have all of her DWtD features because I do have other plans for her, but a good chunk of them will be there (yes, the knife that I always mention). I'll be sure to link you guys to that when it comes about.


	37. His Master and That Lady, Pieces

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Valentine's Day...

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
Two days had went by since the deaths of Doll and Ash Landers. I had forcefully shut Sebastian out of my life as I knew that his inner demon had finally taken full control of the older male. The sight was burned into my eyes, he stood over the girl dressed in all white, knife held tightly in his hand as he stared down at her; I just couldn't believe that after all this time he'd end up like one of _them_.  
  
My notes were laid out in front of me as I scribbled the same information down on a sheet of paper in front of me. Though I was so close to locating the final piece of the puzzle, I couldn't find the connection between the case and how my grandmother's murder played a part in it. I knew it was the final item to solving this case, where it was hidden though was the mystery.  
  
“You look like you're giving yourself a headache,” Alois said, sitting down two cups of hot tea on the table. I stared at them as his teal eyes glanced over my repetitive scribbles, a sigh leaving his lips. Ever since that night, I had been living with Alois and Claude. Of course, I had went back to grab some of my things from the loft, but Sebastian wasn't there and the living area reminded me of the first time I came over; it smelled strongly like beer and cigarettes while cans littered the entire coffee table.  
  
“I'm so close that I can almost taste it, but at the same time, it seems so far away,” I muttered, ripping another page from my notebook and throwing it with the rest; my hand was beginning to hurt as my penmanship was slowly growing sloppier.  
  
Alois hummed softly, taking a sip from his cup before picking at the files. He had been trying to help me through the process of finding the missing link and dealing with the sudden pains that I was receiving through my connection. Sebastian had been through horrid things in the past two days and with each issue, I felt a sharp sting, was greeted with a fiery burn, or cried bloody tears.  
  
I still worried about him, but after what he did, I was confused by the three words and eight letters I had said to him, the words that I thought I'd never understand.  
  
Did they still mean the same thing if he let his demonic side take over?  
  
“Goddammit!” I shouted, slinging papers and my tea, listening as the cup shattered on the wood floor. I knew I needed to stop thinking about him, but I just couldn't. How could I forget him when we were connected?  
  
“Ciel?” Alois whispered in shock, rushing over and wrapping his arms around me before I could continue with my fit and possibly end up hurting myself; since I left, I hadn't been able to control my sudden mood swings and they were beginning to get out of hand.  
  
I fought against him, frustrated as angry tears spilled freely down my cheeks and my head finally dropped down to the crook of the blond's neck as I cried. He knew I was angry, tired, and I wished this case never happened; I would have never found out about my connection, Lizzy would be happy by my side, my past would have never been tossed out right in front of me, and I could have continued my dull life in my townhouse, stuck with something I didn't know whether to be happy or sad with.  
  
Slowly, he rocked me back and forth, whispering softly to me, “Don't worry. Everything will be okay soon. Everything will be fine and we won't have to be scared anymore. Okay?” His voice cracked when he spoke as he tried to keep up his strong image.  
  
I wasn't paying attention to his fragile shell cracking as I clutched onto his tank top tightly, tears and blood staining the dark fabric before I nodded my head. I didn't know if his words had any faith in them, but I questioned if that kind of life would ever become a reality for us and the people that we held dear.  
  
\---  
  
“Bryce Hansel, Hannah Anafeloz, Irene Diaz, and a girl who only went by “Doll” have died already... I feel as if the next person may be very soon, Ciel,” Victoria said, eyes falling down to her desk before they stared at me once again. I knew she was angry because I hadn't reported to her in days, but so far, it hadn't became a topic of our conversation; then again, it had been a while since I had actually been present at school and my appearance at the moment was quite disheveled.  
  
“One day,” I whispered and her eyes widened as she asked, “What?”  
  
Earlier in the case, I had feared sharing all of this information, my past, with her, but I was running into walls that were slowly breaking me down.  
  
“Sieglinde Sullivan is next in line and she's due to die by midnight Thursday night,” My voice cracked as I spoke and she stood up, flattening her palms on her desk. She looked scared, upset, as she yelled loudly, “What are you doing here then?! You need to get out there and find her and the others! Where is Sebastian?!”  
  
I looked away and muttered, “Sebastian is no long a part of this case. The two of us are no longer in contact with each other before you ask. We parted ways for the time being, but never mind that; I've hit a major wall and I don't know where to go because I'm missing an important piece of information.” My hands clenched into fists as I crumpled up my list of things that I needed to find out by tomorrow night, things that might lead me to Lizzy and the others.  
  
“Does it have anything to do with your family?” She asked and I looked up at her, questioning whether she knew more behind my past than I had been lead to believe. Her eyes bore into me as I slowly nodded my head and whispered, “My grandmother, Cloudia... She was murdered, but my question is where and possibly who did it? I think they're in a location where the crime happened.”  
  
Victoria let off a small chuckled before shaking her head, saying to herself, “That old man knew that it would come out eventually...”  
  
She cleared her throat, gaze losing mine as she reached for her necklace and sighed, “I was close with your grandmother when we went to school here many years ago. We'd hang out after school all the time, talking about what we wanted to do in the future and the boys that we were crushing on; mine being my piano teacher, while hers was an upperclassman who came from a family that owned an up-and-coming factory in town.”  
  
I smiled softly as I thought of my grandparents being high school sweethearts before she continued, “Luckily, we both ended up with those men after we graduated. The two of us were so excited when I found out that I was pregnant and we became engaged around the same time. It was funny, we'd spend time going through wedding magazines and laughing as we planned where we were going next in life; I was due to be Mrs. Michaelis and she, Mrs. Bathory.”  
  
Shocked filled my expression as I heard both of the last names; names that were all too familiar.  
  
A frown sunk into her features before she took a seat and sighed, “Those happy times ended not long after that though; I lost mine and Diablo's baby and while plans for Cloudia's marriage carried on, something happened that will scar me for life,” she looked uncomfortable, but continued, “It was raining late one night and Diablo was at the bar when I heard someone beating on the front door. I thought it was him in a drunken stupor, but instead, it was your grandmother; her hair was soaking wet, eyes wide, and there were bruises and blood on her lips, neck, arms, and hands; she was terrified.”  
  
I was confused before she folded her fingers together, chewing at her lip, “She claimed Leonard had attacked her and that he wasn't human. I didn't want to believe her because I thought she was going to have a happy ending, but we filed police reports; he disappeared though, and it seemed like nothing had ever happened when I found out that he eventually returned. Your grandmother remembered though. We lived together after Diablo and I broke off our engagement and she would have nightmares about blue eyes, sharp teeth, and creatures saying that they were coming for her soul; it was terrifying when I'd wake up to her screaming at night.”  
  
She went silent as if she was thinking before I asked softly, “What happened next?” My words making me feel like a small child again, listening to my mother read a bedtime story.  
  
“She met your grandfather about a year later and I knew she had finally found her happiness once again. Her and Alexander were a perfect couple and after your father was born, the title held true to her family,” he laugh was sorrowful as it caught in her throat, “The two of us didn't keep in contact that often after that and I before I even realized it, fifteen years had went by, I had, had tree kids, and was somewhere along in my second marriage; I happened to be watching the news one night and I saw that Cloudia had been killed and left in an old Funtom warehouse...”  
  
Tear fells down her cheeks as she began to sob, trying to catch her breath before continuing, “Your father was torn to pieces about it. He had grown up to be the perfect young man that Cloudia had only been able to dream of, but the way he clung onto Alexander during the funeral...”  
  
She fumbled with her hands before pulling out a handkerchief and wiping her eyes as I stared at her. The entire case had been breaking her down slowly as she went around holding a mask and I knew that if Sieglinde ended up dying, she'd more than likely have a mental breakdown; with each death, she knew her granddaughter's grew closer.  
  
“W-Where was the warehouse?” I stuttered out my question as he blue-gray eyes met mine and she said softly, “Alexander sold it to Leonard Bathory and the Bittersweet Candy Company; from what I heard, that bastard was more than happy to take it off of your grandfather's hands... Truthfully though, I have no idea who holds it now but it's located just inside West Side's limits.”  
  
I pulled out a pad, scribbling down what Victoria had just shared with me and as I shoved the note back down into my bag, she asked me softly, “Why did you and Sebastian separate? You asked me before you even took on this case if you could have someone assist you and after all of that, he's not here right now. You and I both know well that this isn't something you can wrap up on your own; I've never assigned you to something with these kinds of events so why isn't he beside you like he should be?” Her eyes had turned cold as they bore into me and I shut my eyes, saying the only thing that I knew was true.  
  
“Let's just say that there's monsters inside of all of us.”  
  
\---  
  
When I got home, I took a nap curled up under Alois's zebra print blanket. I knew I shouldn't have fallen asleep, but I was just so _exhausted_ from everything that had been going on around me. Alois and Claude had went out for the evening and wouldn't be back until late so I didn't have anyone to keep me awake anyways.  
  
When I was woke up from my slumber to the sound of footsteps in the apartment though, I pulled out the handgun that I had hidden under the pillow. My senses were on high alert, glancing around the room with finger on the trigger, as a sharp sting ran through my contract symbol. I hissed, covering the blind orb for only a moment as the scent of cinnamon and cigarette smoke hung heavy in the air and I felt as if I was back at the loft.  
  
My eyes fell to the coffee table as I found a cancer stick still smoldering in the ashtray, half smoked and abandoned. I stared at it, a chill running down my spine as I still clutched the gun tightly before picking up an index card that had been folded into a tent on the wood.  
  
Just by looking at the small object, I knew it was a note for me and I chewed at my lip before opening it to read the contents:  
  
 _Even though what's done is done and I continue to fuck up every given moment right now, I still love you. Don't think otherwise, Ciel Phantomhive.  
-Sebastian_  
  
The older male's letters were scrawled as if he had been in a hurry when he was writing the message and I clenched it tightly in my fist, the thick paper pricking at my hand. What did he mean that he was still “fucking up” at this moment? Yes, I had felt the sharp pain through our connection mainly because of him, but what was he doing?  
  
I bit my lip, breaking the skin and tasting copper on the tip of my tongue. I knew Sebastian had killed Ash _and_ Doll almost back to back on the same night, but was he regretting what he did? Was he sitting back home right now because his new demon power allowed him to move quickly, thinking back on his actions while drinking a beer? What was he even thinking?  
  
His note hit the ground by my feet as I wrapped my fingers up in my navy-black locks, rocking back and forth. I had cut him off because he was becoming like Demona and I was afraid that he'd end up hurting me. I was scared when it came to those red eyes and sharp teeth, but...  
  
What if I had made a terrible mistake?  
  
My phone rang softly in my bag, alerting me that I had a new text message and I sighed before standing up to go get it. Unlocking the device, I saw that it was sent from an unknown number that I hadn't grown familiar with. Reading the message, my eyes went wide and the phone joined Sebastian's note on the floor before tears ran down my face.  
  
How soon was this case going to be over?  
  
\---  
  
-Elizabeth's Point of View-  
  
My eyes drifted open to find Sieglinde holding onto me tightly for warmth and safety. The past few nights Lydia and I had been putting the younger girl between us while we slept. I had come to know that she was fearful of the dark and as the days drug on and the fact that she knew her death was coming up, it didn't help any.  
  
Lydia and I knew that tomorrow night was the night though. It didn't matter to _them_ whether or not Sieglinde died because she was only just a pawn; Lydia and I were the people they were saving for last because the needed something to taunt Sebastian and Ciel with.  
  
I wrapped my arms around the younger girl, kissing her forehead softly before resting my head atop her long black locks. I knew I needed to protect her at all costs, but I was weak without my knives; my father had trained me with them because that was the only defense that he had ever known. I needed to find a way for us to get out though, but I had no idea where we were and I was slowly growing frail from all the torture and starvation.  
  
Lydia was humming softly, an arm brushing against mine as she also shielded Sieglinde from Serpentine's horrors. Her blue eyes met mine and the humming stopped as she whispered, “I take that you haven't been able to sleep either?” I stared at her for a long moment, taking in the graphic details of the dirt and blood that stained her hair and skin. Even through all of this chaos, she still somehow remained beautiful.  
  
“How can anyone sleep with all of this going on?” I gave a hoarse laugh, trying my best to keep from waking Sieglinde up. I chewed at my lip, my throat feeling dry before Lydia began humming again, singing softly, “Four hours until the sun comes up / Four hours until they come / Four hours until the sun comes up / Four hours until some fun.”  
  
Her song sounded childish as she drifted off to humming once again and I knew her sanity was ebbing away slowly. Lydia had been here the longest among all of us and over the course of the few days I've been here, she's been thrown into fits of rage. They're random as she panics, flailing around, punching the wall, screaming to be set free, and not caring whether or not she injures Sieglinde or I along the way.  
  
“One day until the green witch falls / One day until they come / Unknown until the blackbird arrives / When will he join the fun?”  
  
I shut my eyes as she giggled and I held the younger girl closer to me, hoping that she wouldn't hear Lydia's song, but I knew she had when I felt her tears stain the front of my dress. Rubbing her back, I tried to calm her down as Lydia suddenly went silent, rolling over to put her back to me. I didn't question why as the younger female began to slowly drift back to sleep and my eyes glanced up at the moon that was visible through a small crack in the window.  
  
Would Ciel and Sebastian be able to make it in time?  
  
\---  
  
I didn't know what time it was, but I woke up when I felt a pair of cuffs being hooked behind my back, my body being jerked up from the ground. Sieglinde and Lydia were nowhere to be seen in the room as I was carried off and I panicked for a moment only to hear the voice snort, “ _She_ sticks to the rules when it comes to playing games; they've just been moved to different rooms for the time being.”  
  
I let out a small sigh of relief as he pushed me forward, my body stumbling awkwardly as if I couldn't remember how to walk and I glanced around the dark, grimy hall before I was taken to the room that I woke up in the first time I arrived here.  
  
The person leading me chained my feet to the floor, placing a tray of food in front of me before saying, “I hope you can stand being alone for a while; there's someone coming to play with you later and you better eat everything there. You'll need it.”  
  
As the door closed, I stared down at the tray in front of me. For four days, I had shared a loaf of bread daily with two other girls and a rusted bucket of murky water, but here in front of me was actual food; a small ham sandwich with cheese sat in the middle of the tray, a shiny red apple and a a few baby carrots next to it. Along with the meal, there was a clean, unopened bottle of water before I picked it up, unscrewing the cap, and taking a sip, savoring the taste of fresh water.  
  
Slowly I ate, glancing around the room as I tried to sort my thoughts. I knew it wasn't the smartest idea to eat what my captors had suddenly given me, but I was famished and the one thing I needed the most was my strength. I finished off the apple, sitting the core down on the plate as I thought about the story of Adam and Eve. For some reason, I chuckled at the irony; I ate the apple that the serpent had given me.  
  
The door opened and I heard a female giggle as I looked up to find one red, one gray eye with Ronald following close behind her. Kasadya stared down at me, running a hand through her white hair as my eyes were drawn the the two black bands on her arm, a new tattoo. She smiled softly, glancing back at the male and whispered something in his ear before they walked over to the table that looked bare without the weapons covering it.  
  
The two of them seemed to have lost interest in me as the pale female sat down the the table, Ronald moving closer to her before they kissed, softly at first before he wrapped his arms around her, lips brushing her neck as her breath caught in the back of her throat. She wrapped her fingers up in his dual-colored lock before moaning softly and I felt slightly uncomfortable as he unzipped her vest, revealing her toned stomach, face flushing crimson. Their lips found each others once again before he broke away, moving down to her chest.  
  
The intimacy between the two of them resembled something Ciel and I once shared... though we never went _that_ far. My arms wrapped around myself when Kasadya glanced over at me, purring, “You've never had a relationship like this before, have you, Elizabeth?” Ronald was slowly undoing his belt and she glanced back over at him as I shivered.  
  
“We won't have time to do this,” The female whispered as he groaned, “But, baby... You won't know unless we try.” He groped her breasts as they kissed once again, back in the heat of the moment.  
  
They shot away from each other, trying to put themselves in proper order as the door opened and I heard heels against the stone floor. A frown held her lips as she looked regal, long black hair put up in an intricate style, dress following behind her on the floor as she tapped her nails against the table before snapping, “What did I tell you two about _fucking_ in front of _them_? Both of you are so indecent.”  
  
Kasadya looked embarrassed, red eye glowing before the woman looked over at me, wine-colored eyes meeting mine before she said, “Elizabeth Ethel Cordelia Midford, you're the former girlfriend of Lord Phantomhive, correct?”  
  
I was frozen as she said my full name and the first thing that came to my mind spilled from my lips, “Who are you?” She looked amused as Kasadya coughed, the woman's dark eyes losing mine for a moment as I noticed the crimson seal on her hand; another similarity to Ciel and Sebastian.  
  
“Who do you think I am, child?” The woman cooed, walking towards me as her eyes transformed to a light blue, burning bright as I knew that there was something not human about the woman. She chuckled softly, her nails running through my hair as she pulled it away from my face and I cringed before my voice forced itself from my throat, “A queen.”  
  
She laughed, eyes remaining blue before she said softly, “That's true, child. My name is Demona Bathory and I am the head of Serpentine.” She brought herself face to face with me, a hand holding my chin in place as her lips drew close to mine and I knew something was wrong as I tried to use my hands to shove her away only to be unable to move. My heart stopped as I felt her kiss pulling something out of me and I wanted to scream, but was trapped.  
  
“Mother!” I heard a familiar voice shout as she jerked away from me when the door slammed open and my eyes grew wide.  
  
I hadn't seen him in days, but his long hair was dark against his pale white skin, his eyes holding a redder hue than brown now. His mouth was open, revealing sharp teeth as Demona said, “It's nice for you to join us, Sebastian! Would you like another meal while you're here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I bring you pain and suffering and not one, but two cliffhangers! I feel like those are no surprise to you guys anymore, but I use them to fuel my fire for continuing a story; that's why there's that many chapter after chapter.
> 
> So this time around I decided to do two point of view once again, but I also decided to skip a couple of days since the first time I began writing this story. It only seemed appropriate due to the events of last chapter, but I also know that it's finally time to move things along; we can't dilly dally anymore.
> 
> How long it'll take me to write the next chapter is a bit of a mystery. I have two co-authored stories now so I haven't decided if they're going to take space in my notebook just yet and I really want to work on this one, especially with big things happening!


	38. That Butler, Son

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
I couldn't be blamed for what I did; my boyfriend only saw me as a murderer, people were on the verge of dying, and Mother was the only one I could trust at the moment. I winced as I felt the tattoo gun digging into the scars on my shoulder blade, two snakes being inked into the skin. It had become official, I was now a fully fledged member of Serpentine; I had no other choice.  
  
Mother sat across the dimly lit room in a chair, picking at her nails before her eyes met mine; I knew she didn't fully trust me at the moment because I could retaliate, but I had given up. I had followed her orders because if Ciel wasn't by my side, then for what purpose would I be fighting for?  
  
“You shouldn't look so glum, Sebastian,” she said softly, Kasadya entering the room a moment later before sitting on the desk. I had figured out by now that the two of them had a contract and as the younger girl's red eye sparkled, I looked away. I didn't say anything, but I stared at the floor, listening in on their conversation.  
  
“Did you prepare everything for tomorrow afternoon?” Mother asked, peaking my curiosity as the artist continued on my tattoo.  
  
Kasadya hummed softly for a moment before saying, “Yep, knives and all.” She seemed cheerful as Mother smiled and I pulled out a cigarette, lighting the end of it before taking a drag. The two of them reminded me of a slightly messed up, mother/daughter relationship and I envied it; her and Father were never around for me after I turned six because all I received were my lashings and they treated me like dirt.  
  
“What ever happened to Father?” I called out, knowing the answer already. By now, I had figured that if he wasn't around, he was more than likely already gone.  
  
Wine eyes snapped to me as I saw her chew at her lip. Kasadya crossed her arms, eyes narrowing to me as Mother said softly, “He died a couple of years ago, right around the time your grandfather did,” she chuckled softly as she looked away, “The dumb bastard; he knew we had work to do and he just collapsed behind me. I knew he was dead before I even got the chance to cry out; how he died though, none of us will ever know.”  
  
Her silver wedding ring barely glinted in the light as she looked down at her hand, a red snake tattoo suddenly wrapping around the finger; it was another similarity that her and the white-haired girl shared and I assumed that Father, at one point, had the white one.  
  
I dropped my gaze, flicking the ashes off the end of the cancer stick, muttering, “Thanks for letting me know. I lost my grandfather and even though it was a huge blow to me as I was on my own, I would have liked to have known that another part of my flesh and blood had passed away.” Taking another drag, Kasadya's eyes burned into as she knew that I had upset my mother.  
  
The tattoo artist finished inking my back, wrapping it up, and trying to explain how to take care of it as he packed up his things before leaving the warehouse. I stood up, pulling my shirt back over my head before trying to walk out of the room when my mother stopped me in my spot, using her demonic powers to her advantage.  
  
Slowly, she approached me, heels tapping against the ground as her voice was low, “Sebastian, if you want to stay here _alive_. I expect you to listen to what I have to say; I am your mother so I don't want any smart remarks and I need you to behave. Is that too much to ask of you, son?” I could hear the younger girl snicker in the background and I clenched my fists, cigarette ashes hitting the ground as I tried to refrain from allowing my eyes to take their reddish hue.  
  
“Yes, Mother,” I said, her force leaving me as I lifted the cancer stick to my lips again and muttered, “I'm going back to the loft for a while; I have something that I need to take care of. Do you need me anymore today?” Smoke floated through the air as her eyes burned into me, “Stay out of trouble. I will contact you if I need anything and I expect a speedy return; don't dilly dally.”  
  
I waved my hand, walking out the door as I threw the butt on the ground, stamping it out before heading down the long corridor that would lead me to the outside world, not some dimly lit room full of soulless bodies that had turned bloody after being consumed.  
  
I cringed at the thought, running my fingers through my hair as I was met with sunlight.  
  
I needed to get out, but in the end, there was no longer anywhere to go.  
  
\---  
  
I knew that Ciel had been staying with Claude and Alois even though he never left me a note; if something had happened to me, he would have gone to them straight for help. My eyes stared up where the apartment was located, double checking that Claude's vehicle wasn't in the parking lot before using my demonic abilities to transport myself into the building.  
  
Ciel laid under a zebra-print blanket, hair ruffled as his lips held their usual pout. I could see the dark circles under his eyes from where he wasn't sleeping and I frowned; he was sleepless and it was more than likely because of me.  
  
Gently, I took a seat on the couch before running my hand through his hair, untying the loose knot that held the eye patch in place. He shifted in his sleep, whining, as I jerked my hand away at the movement; I knew he could wake up at any time and since I wasn't following his orders, I could suffer severely. My demonic side nudged me, telling me I need another soul even though it had only been hours since the last one; I didn't _want_ to eat them, but they were dying from untreated injuries and wanted to be put out of their misery; it also was the only way I knew how to become strong.  
  
I stood up, wandering across the room, grabbing a small note card and a pen, and scrawling out a note to the younger male before folding it into a tent. Quietly, I placed it on the coffee table before sitting down beside him once again.  
  
“I wish you would wake up and look at me. I know you hate me, Ciel, but I'm doing this to stop her. I need you with me and not this distant person that's staring off at me. I'm finally ending this torment that Serpentine put you through and it'll all be okay, we won't have to worry; we can be happy,” I mumbled, tucking navy-black strands behind his ear before pulling away to light a cigarette, inhaling the smoke into my lungs and shutting my eyes.  
  
Glancing down at my hand, I read over the warehouse's address once again, going to grab the card, only to stop when Ciel rolled over before stretching out. My eyes went wide as I knew he was waking up and quickly, I put out the ember, my demonic body shifting me instantaneously out of Claude's apartment and into the loft.  
  
Throwing myself down onto the couch, I shut my eyes and winced slightly as the new ink in my skin hit the leather. Ciel would have seen the signs that I had been there, but it didn't matter. Sliding the burner phone my mother had given me out of my pocket, I opened the message inbox before staring at a blank draft. The younger male's number was easy to punch in, but the message was a different story.  
  
How was I supposed to word a text that may lead my boyfriend to his doom? How was I going to protect him when I wasn't even sure how my mother was going to react?  
  
I found the words on my hand for the second time, typing in the address before adding a time; I couldn't bring myself to even put a small message before I hit send. A sigh left my lips as I dropped the device on the couch beside me and stared up at the ceiling.  
  
The time was current 5:44 on a Wednesday evening. It was twenty-eight hours and twenty-two minutes until the end was coming, whether or not Ciel showed up to see it.  
  
\---  
  
Mother expected me at the warehouse early Thursday morning and I didn't ask why. When I arrived, I walked across the parking lot to see Kasadya and Ronald standing there, both with disheveled hair and clothing as if they had just got out of bed. The girl's eyes watched me carefully as I walked past her before she hummed, “Mother's not happy today.”  
  
I looked over at her, ignoring the comment as Ronald muttered, “Third door on the left down the first corridor.”  
  
My eyes snapped up to his green ones as he smiled and I pulled open the door, wandering down the dark hall before following the younger male's instructions. The door stuck slightly as I tried to push it open, hearing a small shriek as the person inside attempted to back into the corner, chains rattling as they were restrained. The stench of death hung heavy in the air and my eyes flashed red as I caught sight of a woman.  
  
There was no telling how long she had been trapped in this place. Her clothing was stripped to pieces, breasts exposed as my eyes ran over a tattoo on her chest. Her left leg was black as she tried to drag it when she sat up and I knew that she had no use for it anymore; from the torture she had endured, if she had ever gotten free, they would have had to amputate it.  
  
“W-Who are you?” She stuttered, voice cracking as she stared at me. I knew that Mother was giving me something to eat, “a perfectly tortured soul”, as she always seemed to.  
  
Chewing at my lip, I looked down for a moment, muttering, “I'm sorry. I'm one of them, but I'm here to liberate you from all of this,” I gestured to the room, trying to make my voice as soft as possible as tears trailed down her cheeks. “I wish I didn't have to do this, but-”  
  
“Will I go to Heaven?” Her voice cut me off with wide blue eyes. I froze, knowing that I couldn't truthfully answer her question; I had to lie though to get what my demonic side was craving.  
  
“Yes. After all of this ends, you will.”  
  
She smiled softly, tears still spilling down her cheeks before she nodded her head and I swallowed the lump that was forming in my throat. I couldn't see how these people were just accepting death as if it wasn't something new to their everyday lives; then again, they had been suffering.  
  
My eyes glowed a faint red as they trailed over skin and I slowly moved towards her before placing my lips on hers. The chapped skin was rough against mine and I felt her accept the gesture as I tasted copper mingling with the sickly sweet taste of her soul.  
  
Her life, like the others, had something wicked hidden within it and as it flashed through my mind, I unintentionally grabbed her wrists, breaking the skin before blood coated my hands and forearms. I hissed, jerking away and holding my head; Mother never lied when she told me that there was something evil in every person, this woman in particular ended up forcing her sister into the world of prostitution and drugs.  
  
I stood up, trying to wipe the crimson off of my skin using the woman's rags before walking out of the room and looking down the hall. I could hear voices as I went further into the warehouse and a familiar voice cut through the air; it was soft, barely audible, but I knew it all too well. Mother's voice was muffled through the wall, but I moved towards the door as things became deathly quiet, my heart beating rapidly in my chest before I heard something as if someone was gasping for air; a sound that was also, now strangely normal to me.  
  
Before I even realized it, I was forcing myself through the metal doors only to see Ronald and Kasadya standing in the corner, Mother on the floor in front of someone. “Mother!” I shouted, slowly walking into the room as she whipped her head around, a smile falling across her face as she cooed, “It's nice for you to join us, Sebastian! Would you like another meal while you're here?”  
  
My eyes burned as I glanced over to see a battered Elizabeth, a hazy look in her eyes while she panted; I knew that Mother had attempted consume the younger female just from the look of it. Kasadya's eyes bore into me with disgust as I questioned, “What's going on here? I thought she still had more time than this; isn't the Sullivan girl next?”  
  
Green eyes widened as I knew Elizabeth was shocked to find me here, shocked to notice that I was talking about someone as if they were simply expendable. My eyes locked with hers for a moment, almost losing the mask I was holding as a perfect, obedient son as Mother said, “A little snack never hurt, Sebastian.”  
  
My hand clenched into a fist as Elizabeth continued to watch me before snapping, “You made him a deal. You told him that he would have time between the deaths; no tricks, just a game where you write the rules. If you kill her then-”  
  
“Shut the fuck up, Sebastian,” Kasadya shouted as I noticed a dark mark forming on the side of her neck, her hair more ruffled than before. She approached me, but Mother stopped her, holding up a hand and intervened, “Kasadya, he had a point; I did promise Lord Phantomhive time to play this game that we all are slowly growing bored of. I was just thinking that things to end sooner than expected and we might get him to come to us sooner if he believes that Elizabeth is in danger. I know the way his mind works; Ciel only wants revenge and that's why me more than likely chose you to form a contract with.”  
  
The blonde's eyes were wide as she moved, the chains on her legs clinking when I glanced over at her. From the look that she held, she was trying to piece together the horrible conversation that was going on. Mother stared at me with glowing blue eyes and I had the feeling that I was testing her patience.  
  
Kasadya smirked before Mother turned her way for a moment, saying, “As for you, go put Elizabeth back with the other two; I need to have a conversation with you and Ronald later, but for now, Sebastian and I need to talk without an audience.”  
  
The older woman grabbed my arm, dragging me out of the room, her nails biting into my skin. I followed after her with heavy steps before I was forced into the room that she used as her office, slamming the door behind her. She glared at me with blue eyes before snapping, “What warning did I give you yesterday?” Rage held her tone and I crossed my arms in front of my chest.  
  
“I've killed, I've joined your cult, I've ate the souls of people who didn't deserve to be treated in such a way before they died; what more do you want of me, Mother?” My demon flared to life as my contract symbol prickled and I could feel the crimson glow seeping into my orbs.  
  
Her fingers wrapped around the front of my shirt before she seethed, “I **want** you to **kill** Ciel Phantomhive; I don't care who he is to you or what the two of you have had, but he _deserves_ to die for what he's done.” She let go, stepping away from me, eyes still locked on mine, “I told you that I didn't want you to end up hurt, but here we are. If you were still on his side, this would never end. I _had_ to turn him against you and if I hadn't, I would have to kidnap more people, take more lives; this was for the benefit of the both of us. Do you want him to _hurt_ anyone else?”  
  
I didn't say anything as she walked towards the door before saying softly, “I know it's a lot to ask of you, son, but you're the only person close to him; you're the only person who can bring him here, and you're the only one who can perform this task for me.”  
  
As she left the room and the door shut behind her, I glanced down at the text I had sent the younger male yesterday, my heart beating quickly in my chest. My eyes slowly lost their burn as I put the device back in my pocket, making my way out of the room before running my hands through my hair.  
  
What if Mother was right though? What if he had really done something wrong?  
  
\---  
  
The taste of my cigarette masked the sweetness of the meal that I had earlier as I smoked. My eyes glanced around the dark parking lot, finding my phone as the time ticked down. At the moment, it was less than ten minutes until nine arrived and a part of me hoped that Ciel wouldn't come.  
  
Mother's words sat in the back of my mind as a car parked at the top of the lot near the entrance, the engine dying and I watched as someone climbed out of the vehicle. Slowly, I flicked the ash off the end of the cancer stick before bringing it to my lips again, the person slowly making their way across the concrete. My eyes caught a frail purple glow coming from the person as I opened my door, stepping out of my car and cringing; Ciel's demands were still in effect and as long as he saw me, I was going to suffer.  
  
I hissed through my teeth as I heard his voice softly call out, “Sebastian, your order has been lifted,” and the discomfort disappeared as his eyes met mine, his lips pulled in a tight line before he spoke again, “We don't have time to talk at the moment, but I'd like to know the meaning behind your message; right now, this game needs to end though.”  
  
I swallowed the lump in my throat, his hands clenched tightly as he began to force himself to walk ahead of me and I dropped what remained of the glowing ember on the ground, following after him. “Are you sure you want to go on with this?” I asked as he turned around, glaring at me, “Of course, I'm nowhere near ready for this, but it needs to be done; no one else needs to die while being caught up in this mess.”  
  
I nodded my head, following him quietly before we entered the building from the side, finding ourselves on the main floor where all of the shelves of product used to be stored. The lights flickered on and I glanced around the room when I heard a cackle, Kasadya standing in the corner with her knife before she spat, “You're so fucking stupid! Did you really think you could fool, Mother? She knew this morning that you were planning on betraying her when you showed up!”  
  
Looking over at Ciel for a moment, my eyes met the younger female's before I opened my mouth to speak, but was cut off when my mother stepped into the room. A small smile held her red lips before she placed a hand on Kasadya's shoulder, cooing softly, “ _Filia_ , what have I told you about picking fights? You must have missed what I told you this morning; Sebastian, _knows_ exactly what he's doing.”  
  
My eyes flared red as my demon was set free and I had to keep myself from sneering at my mother's affectionate term for the girl. Instead, a sharp, crooked smile found my lips and I looked over at my boyfriend before whispering, “Did you really think that you could trust me?”  
  
And without another word, I grabbed him, kissing his lips roughly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It should not have taken me a month to write this poor of a chapter. Truthfully, I wrote this chapter over a span of a month, but if you added up the amount of days that I actually worked on it, you'd get about five. What can I say? I was busy with life.
> 
> The next two chapters have a stable foundation and will be wrote as soon as I get the chance. I am beginning to plan out the final chapters and needless to say, I'm hoping to get this story done by the time May rolls around, unlike the original date I had set back in December for this month; all of this is really planning around my life.
> 
> Thank you all for reading and I apologize for such a bad chapter this time around. I'm sure a few of you will enjoy the next one if you're getting fed up with my AU.
> 
> Also, Demona refers to Kasadya as "Filia" at the end of the chapter. As per usual, I used Google Translate, but I was going for the word "daughter" in Latin. This will all be explained in another chapter. 
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Enjoy!


	39. His Master, Vision

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
I felt groggy as I opened my eyes, wincing at the sunlight that filled the room. The last thing I remembered was being in the factory with Demona and Sebastian and I shivered, sitting up quickly, and found myself wrapped up in satin sheets, a dress shirt hanging loosely from my body.  
  
My eyes scanned the room before I scrambled out of the bed, running over to the window before staring in awe. Outside was a beautiful garden, a fountain standing in the middle that resembled the one from my family's previous home, beyond that, a green lawn as far as the eye could see.  
  
“Young Master, it's good to see that you're up and awake this early in the morning,” A voice said and I jumped, turning around to find Sebastian standing there. The older male wore a full butler's uniform, a single strand of his raven hair tucked behind his ear with a silver trolley in front of him.  
  
My eyes were wide as I stared at him and he slowly pushed the cart further into the room before my voice cracked, “S-Sebastian, what are you doing?” I was utterly confused when he stopped, walking towards me before placing the back of his gloved hand against my forehead.  
  
“Are you feeling sick, Young Master? You're quite pale; I believe you need to take a seat,” he said softly, leading me back over to the largest piece of furniture in the room, forcing me to sit down. I tried to set my mind in the right place as he poured me a cup of tea, reddish-brown orbs watching my face perfectly. I knew he could tell that something was wrong as he handed the porcelain cup over to me and I took a slow sip.  
  
“What's today's date, Sebastian?” I asked quietly, eyes trained to the liquid in front of me.  
  
“Wednesday, April 8th, 1891... Would you like me to reschedule today's appointments?” He answered before offering me a biscuit that I gladly took. I remained silent as I noticed his worry only grow before I muttered, “No, I'm fine. I just need a few minutes to think.”  
  
Was everything that had happened to me been a dream? Had I been asleep this entire time, trying to find someone who tortured me, and my butler was my lover? If that was the case, then why couldn't I remember yesterday? Why couldn't I remember who I was or anything from this time?  
  
Drinking out of my cup once again, I saw Sebastian laying out my clothes and I sighed softly before he said, “Do you need assistance getting dressed or are you fine on your own?” Crimson eyes sparkled for a moment as I found my violet contract symbol in the mirror before saying, “Help me please, Sebastian.”  
  
I tugged at my lip as my gaze remained glued to the mirror and I knew that something about my life and this one paralleled each other.  
  
\---  
  
My eyes stared at a pile of paperwork in front of me, the name of my company written all over it. I sat there, fountain pen in my hand as I totaled up my product sales; not much was different from my normal professional life.  
  
A sigh left my lips as I dropped the writing utensil on the desk, laying my head down on the cool wood. Even though it was just after noon, I felt as if I had been up for days; I was exhausted and there was no particular reason why. A soft sting ran through my marked eye and I glanced up when I heard the door open.  
  
“I apologize for interrupting your work, Young Master, but your fiancee has arrived for tea,” Sebastian said and I looked at him in confusion for only a moment. I almost questioned why I was engaged in the world at sixteen, but it disappeared when I remembered what year it was. The only question that ran in my mind though as I followed my butler down the hall was who this person was.  
  
I drug a hand through my bangs as I entered the sun room, seeing someone sitting in a chair with their back to me, blonde curls were pulled back with flowers adorning it. The girl turned around, her jade eyes meeting mine as she smiled, “Ciel, it's so nice to see you!”  
  
Slowly, I walked across the room, sitting down as Sebastian entered the room with the same silver cart from this morning. He was silent as he passed out the cups of tea and I grabbed one of the small cookies, eating it before he could say anything. Lizzy giggled as he gave me a look before moving to stand behind me in the corner as a regular servant would.  
  
“What brings me the pleasure of your visit, Elizabeth?” I said as she glanced down at her cup and I saw a small blue diamond glittering on her left ring finger. A smile crossed her lips before saying, “Mother and I were talking the other day and I was thinking... Well, I was thinking that we should move the date of the wedding up a couple of months. I know we've already planned the date for July, but I was thinking of having it in May would be a better idea; July seems a bit hot and May is such a perfect time for the season.”  
  
A blush lit up her cheeks as her smile didn't waver and all I could do was stare in shock. There was no way I could respond to something that I had no memory of planning, and at the moment, I wasn't for certain whether or not this was a _real_ world.  
  
Lizzy's expression quickly faded as she said, “We don't have to make this decision right at the moment; you can think it over for a couple of days if you need to _get away! Leave him alone!” A blonde in a ragged dress shouted, mud and dirt caking her skin. She held a knife tightly in her hand, glancing back at me with green eyes and I heard a loud clashing noise in the background as if a war was going on as she muttered, “I promise to protect you, and we can_ keep everything as it was before if you'd prefer to... Ciel, are you okay?” Elizabeth rose to her feet, walking over to me and cupping my cheek as my eye prickled. The touch caused me to flinch and she quickly pulled her hand away before staring at me, biting at her lip.  
  
I didn't know how to answer her question, but Sebastian filled the silence for me, “The young master hasn't been feeling well since this morning and I believe he needs to lay down for a little while; would you like me to prepare a carriage for you, Lady Elizabeth?” Before she could answer the question, I walked out of the room as I felt the beginnings of a headache forming in the back of my mind.  
  
I began to make my way to my bedroom, trying to sort together what I saw as Lizzy was talking. The person I was in the vision was the Lizzy I recognized, but what was she doing? Why did she feel the need to protect me and where was I at, at the moment?  
  
Opening the door to the room I originally woke up in, I walked over to the bed, throwing myself down on it and taking a deep breath. I gritted my teeth as pain shot through my skull and I felt another vision pass over me as my eyes began to grow heavy with a sudden slumber.  
  
 _Lizzy's cheek now had a long gash running down the side of it as something attacked her. I could faintly see black feathers floating to the ground as a few tickled my arms, but I remained immobile.  
  
The stench of blood hung heavy in the air as the blonde was knocked down over and over again by something unknown. Her body landed next to mine at one point as she panted heavily, green eyes passing over me quickly before she tightened her grip on her weapon, leaping back to her feet as she went back into battle._  
  
I blinked, yawning before slipping the black fabric off of my blind orb as I saw a dark figure standing in the corner of the room. Glowing red eyes stood out in the black as Sebastian stepped out of the shadows, a frown on his thin lips before he sighed, “I typically don't let the young master take a nap for so long, but I can sense that there is something off about you today. Lady Elizabeth was quite worried about your well-being, but I sent her home; do please let her know how you're doing tomorrow since she insisted on returning.”  
  
My eyes found the opened curtains, shades of pink and orange painting the sky as I didn't say anything. My butler approached my bed, slowly removing his gloves and dropping them on the floor as he pointed to the seal on his hand, “This pained me for most of the day so please let me know what's on your mind right now. May I have a seat?”  
  
My lips remained shut as he didn't wait for an answer, the mattress dipping with his weight before he picked up the black eye patch that I had abandoned on the sheets, placing it on the bedside table. I stared down at the floor, my migraine causing my head to pound before my eye stung sharply.  
  
Sebastian grabbed my chin roughly, eyes burning into mine, “I hate it when you're so quiet, _Ciel_. Should I make you speak?” He held a sadistic tone as my name rolled off his tongue and my heart raced in my chest. Chewing at my lip, I finally opened my mouth, but not a single word was allowed to break free as he kissed me, the taste of cinnamon and smoke making its way known. A soft moan left my lips from the dizzying force and I tugged at the jacket of his uniform as he shrugged it off.  
  
It all felt too real, his hands dominating me as it seemed like I was finally releasing a passion that I had been keeping up for _years_. My mind was foggy, the migraine subsiding slowly as the visions of Lizzy were quickly becoming a thing of the past.  
  
Buttons were rapidly undone and my back hit the bed, my butler looming over me with _hungry_ eyes. A pointed tooth grin holding his lips as he leaned down, kissing my neck ever so softly, causing me to squirm and whimper before I gasped loudly, incisors biting into my skin hard enough to draw blood.  
  
My fingers tugged at his raven locks harshly and he groaned before growling, “I hate seeing that blonde fuss over you so much and talk about that damned wedding; I'm amazed that by now she hasn't realized that you're mine, _Ciel_.”  
  
The way he said my name drove me insane, almost as if it was a sin, my hips involuntarily rolling up into his with my need as he chuckled darkly. Sebastian's lips met mine once again and the sun finally began to set, casting the room in pitch black shadows. Swiftly, he tugged my belt out of the loops in my pants and I moaned as deft fingers slipped down into areas that only caused me pleasure.  
  
“Sebast-” he flipped me over as I straddled his hips, tongue tangling with mine as I drifted away once again.  
  
 _“Fuck,” I heard a deep voice growl, a voice of something that wasn't human. Blood covered scarred skin as his shirt was in tatters, a tattoo of two snakes wrapped around each other, prominent on the skin.  
  
Crimson eyes flashed across to look at _me _and my mind ran in circles as I_ gasped when Sebastian's lips broke away from mine as he groped my bare rear. My hips jerked forward as I felt his fingers circle my entrance before he said softly, “I'm going to fuck you until you're sore and you just won't simple be able to get out of bed without assistance in the morning.”  
  
“ _Ah,_ ” my voice hitched in my throat as his finger entered me, a small hiss leaving my lips as it stung. I could feel his eyes watching my bright pink face as I blushed, my mouth hanging open slightly.  
  
He slid me off his lap, taking off the shirt that was barely draped over his shoulder before throwing it _down on the concrete ground, claws still outstretched from the toss. His back was still to me as he wiped his mouth and I saw Lizzy on the ground, her knife laying at least two yards away.  
  
“I told you to stay down,” the monstrous voice spoke again, “Now, if you're able to fight then_ come here.” Sebastian pulled me back over, covering his digits with oil before he slid a finger inside me as he sucked on the sore spot on my neck. I shut my eyes, lost in the moment before reaching down and palming him through the material of his pants as I moaned, “I want you to... to fuck me.”  
  
He chuckled, a smile crossing his lips as he said, “Yes, my Lord.”  
  
A second finger joined the first as he pushed them in and out of me, a string of moans and gasps leaving my lips. Pulling him free from his pants, I wrapped my hand around his shaft for only a moment, and without warning, I was thrown back down on the bed as he slowly slid inside me.  
  
“ _Mmm, fuck!_ ” I cried out as he didn't even give me a chance to adjust before furiously thrusting inside of me. My eyes rolled back in pleasure, in pain, and my toes curled, his fingers interlocked with mine as he pinned my hands down to the bed.  
  
Our eyes locked together as I could already feel myself growing dangerously close with the roughness of his touch before he hit the spot that caused me to see stars. My back arched, a cry loud enough to alert the nearest town left my lips as I heard a soft laugh, Sebastian staring down at me.  
  
“Please, I'm so cl-” I whimpered before I was cut off by another kiss, a single hand letting go of mine as he wrapped it around my erection, teasing me slowly before jerking me off in time with his thrusts. I pulled at his lower lip with my teeth before my mouth remained in a perfect “o” in pleasure as I knew that I was almost to the point of pure ecstasy.  
  
“Ciel,” he groaned in my ear as his thrusts grew sloppier and my eyes slid shut as I gasped for air before realizing that his hand was around my throat, choking me. “Se-Seba-Sebastian,” I tried to say, but my voice came out dry, my eye burning furiously before rolling back in my head once again as I cried out.  
  
“ _Fuck!_ ” I screamed as he released his grip, fresh air flowing into my lungs as a warm feeling spreading my gut and I came in that instant. “Sebastian!”  
  
And with that outburst, the world shattered around me like glass and I jumped quickly, my entire body hurting as cool concrete sat under me. Lizzy still laid on the floor nearby and slowly, I crawled towards her, grabbing the engraved knife. I couldn't hear the sound of the fight anymore, but I saw the signs, the crimson pools and the tufts of downy black.  
  
I cradled the girl's head in my lap, running my fingers through her curls as I whispered, “Lizzy, you have to wake up. You can't leave me here not knowing what's going on.” My voice was thick with worry as I glanced around the room, my heart stopping.  
  
Demona laid on her back, glassy eyes open and blood dripped down the side of her painted lips. Fatal gashes and wounds covered her body, so many tears and rips in the fabric of her dress that it seemed like an animal had attacked her. Near her, I saw the monster that had, had his back to me, raven black hair on his head as he quickly disappeared almost as if he had never really been there.  
  
My heart sat in my throat as tears fell down my cheeks and I choked on my sobs.  
  
“Sebastian, come back. I need you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, it once again almost took me a month to write a chapter, but it happens. Most of my life has been spent filling out scholarships, college applications, and trying to get my driver's license finally. This chapter also went all over the place, but that's okay; I wanted to write smut and well, it happened.
> 
> To explain a little bit Ciel goes in and out of the "canon" phase that he's in. Sebastian put in Ciel into this state for a good reason, but I won't explain until later. I'm sorry for scaring a whole bunch of you last chapter, but I need a good cliffhanger since I didn't know where to go next and I didn't know how long it was going to take for me to write it.
> 
> The next chapter is going to be brutal to say the least. I am doing a new point of view and I'll be working with some similar aspects that I have used in new chapters, but I'm also using new ones; I want to stick to my May deadline as close as possible.
> 
> Hopefully I will post a new chapter soon and if you ever have any questions, please feel free to send them to my writing tumblr listed below: 
> 
> http://a-fictional-reality.tumblr.com/
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Enjoy!


	40. That Serpent, Daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning due to psychotic elements, sexual assault, violence, etc. 
> 
> You have been warned.

-Kasadya's Point of View-  
  
A hiss escaped through my teeth as I regained consciousness, my knife still gripped tightly in my hand as my eyes found the demon-ridden Sebastian. Cat-like crimson eyes burned into me as I saw the sharp canines, the blood, the feathers, and the claws; over a course of a few weeks, he had fully matured into what Mother had wanted.  
  
My contract symbol felt as if my eye had finally been taken away from me. I lifted my scarred hand up to my face, feeling the warmth of crimson liquid dripping from my skin before I glanced up at him once again as he mouthed two words.  
  
“ _I'm sorry_.”  
  
When I blinked, he was gone and that's when I finally saw what he was apologizing for. Laying on the ground in front of me was the person who raised me, the woman I considered to be my family. Blood had ran down the side of her lips and pale face, blank, wine-colored eyes staring at the ceiling as I saw the wounds that made me sick to my stomach.  
  
“Mother!”  
  
\---  
  
I was from a broken home. Mama always spent time out of the house and when she came home, she was either under the influence of drinks and drugs, or some man was hanging off of her hip to leave a few dollars on the table. The only person I really had was my older brother, but I knew to stay away; if I got close, bad things would happen.  
  
This particular morning, I was dressed in a brand new, cherry red dress, my dark hair shiny and clean unlike usual. Mama threw a few dollars at me for lunch, not even looking up from her tv show. Zeus watched me from the other side of the room, fifteen year old eyes burning holes into me.  
  
Quickly, I walked out the door, my book bag hoisted over my shoulders as I began to head off to school. Being only six years old, I had quite a few responsibilities; I made sure to get ready every morning, took care of going off to school, did my homework, made sure to do chores so that the house was fairly decent. It was quite a bit for someone my age, but somehow I managed.  
  
“Kasadya,” I heard a voice behind me and I turned around to find my brother, car keys in his hand as he said, “Do you want me to give you a ride to school?”  
  
At first, I was hesitant to accept his offer, but slowly I agreed as I glanced up at the cloudy sky, jumping into my mother's rusty vehicle before we drove off, heading out of town even though I tried to tell him that he was going the wrong direction.  
  
I never realized how much a mistake I made until he had his hands on me.  
  
“Zeus, stop!” I tried to scream, but he squeezed my milky white thigh as the two of us sat in the backseat. We were in a heavily wooded area that I didn't recognize and this wasn't the first time something like this would happen, but it would be the last.  
  
My brother's lips kissed up my neck, a hand slipping into my panties as he tried to force my legs open. My nails scratched his back, punching and clawing at the skin in hopes of him letting go of me. Tears made their way down my face as he finally forced his way inside, telling me how much of a good girl I was.  
  
I almost went limp, giving up, but something in me snapped when I saw a utility knife laying on the floor as he was too busy pleasing himself by using me. Without him noticing, I reached down, grabbing it before sliding the blade out of its protective metal casing.  
  
I suffered through the pain, my entire body feeling dirty, knowing that today I was getting my revenge. Shutting my eyes, I sighed as he finally pulled away, my throat hurting from my involuntary cries and the moment his back was turned to me, I attacked.  
  
Crimson stained the back of Zeus' shirt first as he hissed at the foreign feeling hitting his nerves. He whipped around, brown eyes meeting my gray, growling, “You little bitch!” I ducked down, trying to get away from him as he attempted to strangle me and luckily I was quicker.  
  
I slashed the knife out again, nicking his wrist as he quickly pulled away and I aimed my final blow, sinking the blade into the side of his neck and not even cringing when blood sprayed across the car's interior.  
  
I was breathing heavily as I backed up against the door, seeing the stains on my white skin and I loved them in some sick way. A giggle left my lips as I stared at the shell that was formerly my brother, cackling, “Haha! You deserved it, Zeus! It's what you get for hurting me all these years, for using Father as a **great** example of being a man!”  
  
My laughter was short lived though as someone knocked on the window, peering in. Their face didn't seem at all shocked at the corpse as wine eyes met mine and she opened the door slowly. “Are you lost, little girl?” She asked, but I was frozen.  
  
“Ma-Mama told me not to talk to strangers.” I stuttered, remembering a line that they taught us at school, but the woman only simply laughed, “Well your mother doesn't seem like a very good one. I've been watching you for a while Kasadya and I can tell you that I can take you to a place where you won't be hurt anymore, where you can learn to defend yourself. I can make sure you won't be ignored, won't have to deal with everything on your own, and you can be a normal little girl if you want to.”  
  
Her eyes burned into me and I stared for only a moment before asking, “Really? I-I can do that?” My voice cracked as I continued to hold the knife tightly and she gently grabbed my hand and nodded her head, saying softly, “Just that and more; all you have to do is call me 'Mother'.”  
  
“Okay, _Mother_.”  
  
The woman laughed, her eyes turned a snake-like electric blue before she revealed a sharp-toothed smile, placing her hand over my eye and whispering, “This will only hurt for a moment, _filia_ , and then I can do everything an actual maternal figure should.”  
  
And with that, I formed a contract with my adopted, demonic mother.  
  
\---  
  
“Mother?” I asked, walking down the hall only to find her sitting on the couch with her husband, a man named Lucius; I never ended up referring to him with a fatherly title. The two of them looked lost, deep in conversation as I stood behind them in the entryway.  
  
“Diablo sent me a letter about Sebastian. He gave me an update about his life and how awful we were for just abandoning him,” Lucius said, taking a swig of his drink; he reminded me of my previous mother in a way, but that was over five years ago.  
  
“Well, we did it for the best; the two of us had so much work to do because of Serpentine,” Mother said softly to him, but he scrunched up his nose in agitation.  
  
“When are you going to bring him back though? If _we_ had so much work, why did you form a contract with _that_ girl. If you're planning on building a demonic empire, then you know for a fact that a normal, human girl can't take that throne. She doesn't even have the ability to grow stronger!” Lucius shouted and I flinched, my hand wrapping around the switchblade in my pocket before I reacted without realizing it.  
  
“Huh? I can't grow any stronger? How about you say that to my face next time?” I snarled, now standing behind the couch with my knife pressed to the older male's neck. Mother smiled as she gave Lucius an amused expression before waving me off, cooing, “ _Filia_ , I think that's enough.”  
  
Lucius glared at me with glowing red eyes before standing up, snapping at his wife, “Remember what I said, Demona; you can't have a kingdom without a demonic heir and you and I both know the only person who is able to do that.”  
  
“In due time, darling. For now, I still want to watch him mature for afar,” Mother said softly and the male snorted before walking off, taking his almost empty bottle with him.  
  
I took his seat, placing my knife back in my pocket before running a hand through my white hair; after Zeus' death, the locks had slowly grown white and they remained that way. Tugged at the hem of my dress, I chewed at my lip before asking, “Mother, who is Sebastian? I've heard you talk about him quite a bit and-”  
  
“Kasadya, let's not talk about this; that boy...” She paused, dark eyes losing mine, “he's not too important right now, but maybe you'll learn about him someday. Right now though I need to tell you about some people who are coming to live with us.”  
  
I looked up at her, my crimson eye stinging slightly as I nodded my head, allowing her to continue, “I used to watch two boys when they were very young and recently their mother passed away. The oldest one is seventeen... his brother though, is the same age as you.” Her eyes bore deep into me as I looked at the symbol staining her hand like a tattoo.  
  
She knew that after what happened with my brother, I had always been uncomfortable around older males; the idea of living with two just caused me slight discomfort thinking about it. “Are you going to be okay with that?” She asked.  
  
Slowly, I nodded my head, mumbling, “As long as they're nothing like...” I paused, looking away for a moment, “I'll be fine. It'll be nice having someone my age to play with.”  
  
A smile found my lips as I looked at her and she hummed softly, “Good. I'm glad you're happy, Kasadya.”  
  
\---  
  
Mother never let me work with Serpentine, but that December, she decided that my knife skills were good enough to be put to use. This time was also the first I had ever worked close with Undertaker, as his task was vital to him and his brother Ronald being allowed to live with us. So far, I got along with the siblings, but Ronald wasn't coordinated enough to deal with this kind of thing yet.  
  
Quiet steps carried me up the walkway of the mansion, all lights off in the home save from the very few that kept the boy's room safe from the monsters. My job was to take out anyone who got in the way of Undertaker's operation and though it wasn't much, it still was an important task to do.  
  
Two knives sat in each of my pockets, my favorite one clenched in my right fist as I slipped through a window that someone in charge of getting rid of security had already opened. Slowly, I made my way up the staircase, following the instructions that Mother had given me that led to the parents' bedroom.  
  
As I walked through the wooden door, I purposely tipped over a vase, waking up the woman as she sat up with blurry eyes. I hid in the corner, the first step done as she woke up her husband, flicking on a lamp. They looked around the room, her crawling out of the bed and looking at the shattered glass as I made my way after her, a reckless mistake.  
  
A flaw that I hadn't factored in was that Lord Phantomhive may have had a gun on his person. Quickly, I learned though when he had it pointed at the back of my head, finger on the trigger.  
  
“Who are you and what are you doing in my house?” He snarled and I froze, the woman turning around and gasping, “Vincent, she's only a child! L-Little girl, are you okay? If someone put you up to this, you don't have to hurt any- Vincent!” I heard a choking gurgle, but I didn't turn around, knowing that he was already bleeding out on the floor.  
  
I didn't even give myself a moment to take in the woman's horrified expression before I left her the same, turning around to meet a pair of green eyes that were narrowed at me.  
  
“What were you even thinking?!” Undertaker shouted, swinging his blade in the air before pointing the crimson tip at me. He looked angry, furious, but I didn't say a word as I stared at him, watching the blood dripping off the knife.  
  
He walked towards me as if he was in a hurry, snapping, “Do you even care that you almost got yourself killed?! Show some emotion! Say something, you stupid bitch!”  
  
I didn't even flinch when he raised his hand to me because all I could think about was those last words my brother said to me; it was almost as if he wanted to slap me out of the blood-craving, psychotic state that I was in. The only thing I noticed was when someone captured his wrist with tight fingers, startling blue eyes burning into him as Mother snarled, “Don't you dare raise a hand to my daughter ever again if you want a place for you and your brother to live. Not only will I be after you, but so will she; she hasn't been trained to kill for nothing. Now, do what Lucius and I sent you here for or your life will only get worse.”  
  
Mother looked over at me before grabbing my hand, pulling me out of the room while saying, “Kasadya, are you okay? I know I told you that you should be comfortable with the boys, but I never expected him to act like that.” She held that worried tone that I never actually heard from my real mother and concern was prominent in those wine eyes.  
  
I slid my weapons back into my pocket before nodding my head, “I'm fine; he didn't hurt me and I could see why he was mad, though he did overreact.” Glancing away, I smiled before continuing, “Can we go on to the next part? I want to be able to make you proud, Mother.” My eye burned and she held my hand tightly.  
  
“You already make me proud, _filia_.”  
  
\---  
  
Ronald and I grew closer over the years as we grew up together. When the two of us were sixteen, I felt some sort of attraction to him. Though he was no longer the kid with spiky brown hair and a love for manga, now he was tall with dual colored, brown-blond hair and alluring green eyes; the thing I loved the most though was his similar love for blood and sharp objects.  
  
I sat near him during lunch at school as we pretended to simply be normal students, faking having normal lives. Biting sharply into an apple, my eyes itched as Mother made me wear a set of colored contacts, even if they made me look blind. People stared at me with prying gazes since my appearance wasn't normal, but to me it didn't matter.  
  
“Ronny,” I said softly, catching the eye of a boy a year younger than us; one orb was cerulean blue while the other was covered with an eye patch. I froze, nudging the male next to me as I stuttered, “Is that...?”  
  
I could remember it clearly; Mother and Lucius running around just a few weeks after capturing the Phantomhive boy. A few reapers were in the process of transporting him to his final destination when he escaped, disappearing to the point where no one could find him. We were frantic, fearful that he'd give us away so we hid in the shadows, Serpentine never causing much trouble, and Mother swearing that we'd get him back eventually.  
  
Ronald grabbed my hand, dragging me out of the lunchroom, and causing me to drop the crimson fruit. He clutched my fingers tightly as he led me outside, pulling out his cell phone before dialing a number. He held the device up to his ear and I didn't understand what was going on as I stared at him before someone answered his call.  
  
Almost before they could say anything to him, he replied, “Remember when you told me to protect Kasadya at all costs if we ever saw Ciel Phantomhive again?”  
  
There was a pause and he squeezed the hand that he hadn't let go of, sincerity in his eyes as my heart began to race in my chest. There were very few men that I trusted in my life, but there was something special about Ronald and that made so much more of a difference.  
  
I chewed at my lip as he hummed in agreement before saying, “Kasadya saw him and I know that he got a good look at us. I don't know if he recognized her, but I just didn't want to risk... Okay... Okay... We'll see you in a bit.”  
  
He hung up the phone, putting it back in his pocket before facing me. His eyes found the ground as he realized that he was still holding my hand, pushing his glasses up his nose and opening his mouth to say something before I kissed him.  
  
My face burned crimson when I pulled away after only placing a soft peck on his lips before I squeezed his hand back and whispered, “Thank you for being my knight in shining armor,” and he kissed me once again... over and over again.  
  
\---  
  
In a little under a year, Mother had formed a plan in order to capture the new Lord Phantomhive. Ronald and I didn't stay in school long after that in fear of us being found out, but instead, Mother had us doing research on the younger male. Our tasks were to find his weaknesses, his flaws, and when I found out that he was doing work for the principal, Mother knew exactly how to put the plan into effect.  
  
I stared at her as she handed me two names, glancing between my boyfriend and I, “The only way I can get Angelina Victoria to draw Lord Phantomhive's attention is to start taking away things precious to her, those being her students and most of all, her granddaughter.”  
  
She smiled and I stared at her, red eye prickling before she continued, “These two are the first of quite a few and I need to make sure that they remain _alive_ until I give the signal to do otherwise. I know that you two can work together and blend in until you can bring them here.”  
  
I nodded my head, glancing down at the names again as I turned to leave only for Mother to stop me in my tracks. “ _Filia_ , I have a personal job for you that we need to talk about in private.”  
  
My eyes found Ronald’s green orbs as I waved him off saying, “I'll meet up with you in a little while; try to find some information while you wait.”  
  
When the door shut without another word, wine eyes flashed blue for only a moment, my eye sharply stinging. I winced as I stared at her, thinking I was in trouble for a moment until she said softly, “I need one final person to make this plan perfect, but from what I've heard is only a faint rumor that he has a connection to Ciel. This will be your job though to bring him to me, and to see if the rumor is fact or fiction.”  
  
“Who is it?” I asked, swallowing as she glanced away, twisting at her wedding band before swallowing, “Someone I've never told you about in fear of your reaction; Sebastian Cassius Michaelis, my biological son.”  
  
\---  
  
Before Mother told me about Sebastian, I had only heard about him when Mother and Lucius were saying simple phrases about him, but I never forgot about it, and never dared to ask. To be truthful, I was heartbroken; for the years that I had been contracted with her, I always thought that I was her only child, even if I was adopted. Just hearing about Sebastian made me feel slightly betrayed.  
  
My feet carried me inside The Devil's Playlist as I glanced around the dimly lit store only to catch the sight of three people, a man in his late twenties with dark red hair, covered in tattoos, a skinny young girl with fuchsia hair, and a black-haired male with reddish-brown eyes. My sights were instantly set on the latter as I walked towards the sticker covered counter, asking, “Are there any job positions available? My mother has been asking for me to get a job and I just simply feel like I could fit in here.”  
  
The older man eyed me up and down before saying, “Let me see if there are any applications in the back; I can't make any promises on what the owner will say, but I might as well double check.”  
  
He began to head towards the door behind the counter as the girl came up to me saying, “What's your name, sweetheart?” She seemed a little overexcited to see me, but I just gave her an awkward smile, mumbling, “Kasadya Analyiese.”  
  
She gestured to herself before saying, “My name is Lix Rayine and this,” the girl pointed to my adopted brother, continuing, “is Sebastian Michaelis, our little hardworking junior.”  
  
“Just because I'm younger than you, Lix, doesn't mean anything. We're about what? Seven months apart? Besides, I'm a good foot taller than you,” the black-haired male spoke up, a small smile spreading across his lips as he placed a hand on her shoulder, my eyes growing wide when I caught sight of the tetragrammaton imprinted on his left hand.  
  
I was frozen, watching the duo as I kept my mouth sealed shut in fear of slipping off the mask of the person I was currently wearing.  
  
The oldest male walked back into the room as my eye remained locked on the dark purple contract symbol until he handed me an application, muttering, “I'm sure you'll end up with this job just fine.”  
  
I let off a small smile, muttering a meek, “Thank you,” before heading out the door only to hear Lix yell from behind, “Hope you see you again, Kasadya!”  
  
\---  
  
Two weeks into work at the record store and it was finally the night that Mother wanted to put the plan into full effect. I was itching to get out of the shop, glancing up at the clock every few minutes just to make sure that I'd have enough time to meet my boyfriend at the restaurant.  
  
“You seem impatient,” Sebastian said, walking in from the back of the store, the smell of cigarette smoke clinging to him. Tonight he was the only other person in the store and in the time that I've known him, I've made sure to be a pest.  
  
I chewed at my crimson lips, fiddling with the switchblade in my pocket. It was twenty minutes until the shop closed and the two of us had time to kill.  
  
“Sebastian~,” I sang, looking over at him as he was glancing down at his phone for the millionth time today; I could hear the tapping of the keyboard as he looked over for a moment.  
  
“What, Kasadya?” He asked quietly before putting down the device, reddish-brown orbs meeting mine. I smiled softly, a my index finger tracing my red snake tattoo as I hummed, “Have you found a new boyfriend?”  
  
He looked away, his attention drawn to his phone once again before he nonchalantly said, “I don't know why you ask such personal questions, but I've taking interest in someone at school. He's a sophomore and _really_ not my type, but he's cute. That's all that matters with me, but I have no interest in dating anytime soon.” The tapping was heard again as I glanced up at the clock; it was almost a quarter until eight.  
  
Standing up, I began to straighten up some of the shelves, preparing for closing time, calling out, “In what ways is he cute? I'm sure you're attracted to him for some reason.” My fingers scanned over old cassette tapes before Sebastian walked into the back, coming out with his jacket before saying, “I don't know how to explain it; he's small... mysterious, maybe? The one thing that draws me in though is that one blue eye he has; I've assumed the other is blind or missing from the eye patch he wears.”  
  
A smirk crossed my lips as I said softly, “That's interesting,” glancing at the time before sighing. I made my way to grab my purse off the counter in the back, calling out before walking towards the shop's entrance, “Is there any way you can finish closing up on your own? I have a date and need to head down the road to get there in time.”  
  
Sebastian stared at me for a long moment, nodding his head and mumbling, “Be careful,” and like that I was heading down the streets of West Side to a Chinese place that our victims had chosen to attend.  
  
My arm linked with my boyfriend's as I met him at the entrance of the building. “Hello, gorgeous,” Ronald said, giving me a quick peck as I blushed.  
  
The two of us made our way inside, taking a seat and giving the waiter our orders before I caught sight of the couple we were looking for, Lydia Victoria, a cheerleader at my former high school and her ex, Bryce Hansel. The two of them looked like your cliché popular couple in school and it made me nauseous before I met green eyes.  
  
“Kasa, what's wrong?” Ronald asked and I shook my head, muttering, “I'm just a little nervous; Mother has us on just about the biggest job yet and I'm afraid I'll end up messing it up.”  
  
He look my hand, squeezing it softly like he always has to reassure me, whispering, “I'm sure you'll end up fine; you have to remember, I couldn't properly use a knife until you taught me and to this day, I'm still learning. If something ends up going haywire, we know how to fix it because Demona taught us well.”  
  
I smiled, kissing his knuckles before nodding my head and mumbling, “Yeah, Mother taught us well.”  
  
Ronald and I ate our food in silence, studying our prey as I slid my hand in my pocket every now and again, grabbing onto my weapon. The male paid for our meal as we made our way outside, separating for only a few minutes as I hid in the alley, he going to get the car ready for transport.  
  
Tugging my hood over my head, I slipped on a piece of plain black fabric to cover the lower half of my face. I held a bag tightly in my hands when my boyfriend returned and the couple began to make their way down the sidewalk, Bryce escorting Lydia to her car.  
  
“You ready?” Ronald asked me and I smiled behind my mask.  
  
“I'm always ready, Ronnie.”  
  
Whenever Mother gave me a job, my mind always blurs. I know what I'm doing, but my thirst for blood and violence always takes over like it did that fateful day I killed Zeus, like the night of the Phantomhive murders; my dark side was unchained and allowed to run free.  
  
Before I had even realized it, I had taken down Bryce, my bag over his head and a switchblade placed against his neck as I hissed, “If you want to fucking live then **stop** fighting! I will not hesitate to slit your throat and let you bleed out in this damn alley.”  
  
My blood was running hot in my veins as I made sure to lock both of them in the back of the car, sitting in the front seat next to my boyfriend, sighing. The couple was quiet, fearful of what was going to happen as I allowed a soft chuckle to leave my lips.  
  
“What is Mother getting us in to?”  
  
\---  
  
“Mm,” I whined, waking up laying on Ronald's naked chest. After bringing Lydia and Bryce to the warehouse, my boyfriend and I went back to our apartment and spent some quality alone time.  
  
Glancing back at the clock, I saw that it was just past two in the morning; it was typical for me to wake up at this time of night, but I always hated it.  
  
Slowly, I slipped out of my boyfriend's arms, pulling on the crimson robe that I had hanging on the bedpost before walking out of the room. I yawned loudly, making my way over to the kitchen sink to pour myself a glass of water. Standing there for a moment, I took a drink a drink of the clear liquid, glancing out the window of the living area of the apartment before feeling another presence in the room.  
  
“Can't sleep again, _filia_?” Mother asked softly as I turned around, running a hand through my unkempt white hair as I sat my glass down before laying my head on her shoulder.  
  
“Mother, why did you keep Sebastian from me?” I asked without even thinking. Truthfully, it had been a curiosity plaguing my mind lately and I finally ended up with the nerve to set the question free.  
  
I felt her swallow, sighing loudly before light blue eyes glowed in the shadows, my marked eye prickling as she whispered, “I gave him up for the sake of Serpentine. I've told you before that my father was killed by the original Lord Phantomhive and because of that, I built Serpentine to get rid of people who hurt others and I just couldn't take care of a child at the same time.”  
  
“B-But you formed a contract with me... I heard you and Lucius talk about it before when I was younger. If you couldn't take care of him, why did you choose me?” Crimson sparkled as I spoke without hesitation and she wrapped an arm around me, pulling me closer before whispering, “When I saw you with that dark hair, pale skin, covered in the same color of crimson that was on your dress, I knew that you were special and I knew that you needed to be protected. Sebastian... We couldn't do anything with him. Lucius was fed up with how weak he was and scarred Sebastian's body to no avail; hell, I did the same. If he stayed, all we could do was drag him along with us until he fell apart or even worse, died. I didn't want that so I sent him to live with his paternal grandfather.”  
  
Her voice was soft as I muttered, “And I assume that you need him for this plan?”  
  
She chuckled, looking over at me, “I only want to have a happy family; that's all I ever wanted...”  
  
\---  
  
Red and blue lights flashed in the parking lot as my eyes caught sight of a dark-colored body bag being rolled away onto a medical vehicle to be examined later. Tears and blood streamed down my cheeks as cool metal bracelets sat on my wrists, rough hands pushing me towards one of the cars. I felt stripped bare without my knives and the cold air tickled my me as it found its way in the tears of my clothing.  
  
I looked up, meeting my boyfriend's green orbs as he was being pushed past me and my voice cracked out, “Ronnie.” I wanted to reach out to him, to sink into his arms like I always did when I was upset, but I was being restrained.  
  
I moved towards him, quickly being jerked away as he looked at me, whispering, “Kasa, I love you.”  
  
A fake smile crossed his lips as tears broke free, dripping down his face as I screamed, “Ronnie!” My cry rang out as I was lead away to a different car from him, quickly being placed inside as my back hit cool plastic, a cage trapping me from the rest of the world.  
  
I shook, knowing that I was going to be put away for a long time, but the one thing that shattered me into nothing was when my eyes finally found themselves in the rearview mirror, a blind disfigured orb staring back at me in place of my crimson contract symbol.  
  
And like that, I knew that Mother had broke her promise to me and my entire world was now nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why did I have to write a ten page chapter about Kasadya, you ask? My answer is because there's more to her character than you think. Kasadya was built around a character that I've had for a long time, but I never got to bring her out of the shadows; she's like my inner demons fighting to get out and I show that through her psychotic, twisted nature.
> 
> From the beginning, I made her misunderstood because I needed to. I wanted to show the side of Serpentine that may have looked good if you subtracted all the killing, torture, human trafficking, etc. I also wanted to show how the girl tied in with Sebastian's mother and why from the beginning she called her "Mother" herself.
> 
> Another reason to this filler chapter is to also prepare you for the one thing that you've all been waiting for... the end. Yes, there is very little subject matter to work with now that Demona is dead and the case is solved, but the one question now is where is Sebastian and what happened to him?
> 
> That shall possibly be answered next chapter, but at the moment I'm debating on whether to squeeze out two more chapters, one long chapter with two points of view, or a chapter (with something of a cliffhanger) and an epilogue. I am working on something for the final chapter(s) though and though I've hit a couple of roadblocks already, I want to make sure that I reach this final deadline that I set last month.
> 
> As mentioned in a previous chapter (and I Google Translate most of this mess), the word "filia" means "daughter" in Latin.
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Enjoy!


	41. That Butler, Time

-Ciel's Point of View-  
  
My mark no longer pained me unless it was my own fault. Though the eye continued to glimmer its typical purple, it never hurt from his side, but the marking itself was the only sign that Sebastian was still alive. A year had passed since Demona's death and Serpentine's end, and since that night, my boyfriend had disappeared; he never came home and that scared me to death.  
  
I was left alone to deal with a major court case, forced to present my evidence and somehow skirt around explaining what had happened with the demonic life that I still knew almost nothing about. I had to watch Kasadya sit on the stand, her misunderstood past breaking free as she showed off her blind orb, her contract no more. On the other hand, I came back to the loft every night to be alone with my thoughts, laying on a bed that Sebastian and I used to share.  
  
Even after the mess of the last case, I still followed what Principal Victoria sent me and though they were never as brutal as Serpentine's, it gave me something to do; even if most were about bullied students and dark relationships. Being a student at Royal High was no different than before and nowadays, I spent most of my time in silence unless I was with Lizzy and Alois.  
  
I sat at lunch with the duo, picking at my dessert as they talked about prom. Like last year, I wasn't going because I had no reason to; I didn't have a date, couldn't dance, and wasn't interested in going to school social events anyways. Shutting my eyes, Lizzy tapped me on the arm, saying, “Are you okay, Ciel? Have you not been sleeping well?”  
  
I opened my eyes, looking at the jagged scar on her cheek, cringing before I muttered, “I'm fine. The anniversary is coming up soon and I just wanted to find a way to get it off my mind. I can't believe its been a year since that night.”  
  
I held my head low, sighing heavily as I felt an arm wrap around my shoulders before Alois said, “What do you think, Elizabeth? Maybe we should do something to stop the poor boy from thinking about it for a while.” He smirked as I glanced up to meet jade eyes. A thin smile spread across the girl's lips as she said, “I think I know what will do the trick.”  
  
The two of them laughed and I became slightly worried until I felt a tap on my shoulder, meeting light blue eyes. Lydia stared down at me, fiddling with the lanyard that held her school ID, before saying, “Grandmother needs to see you whenever you have the chance. She said it pertains to...” her eyes drifted off for a moment as I saw a sliver of the brand under her collarbone, “... _that_.”  
  
I grabbed my bag, throwing it over my head and straightening the strap on my chest before saying, “I need to see what this is about. I'll see you guys later?” I left my sentence as a question before the smirk remained on the blond boy's lips as he said, “Eight o'clock, Ciel. We'll meet you outside your loft and wear something decent; we can't have you looking like the half-asleep mess that you are now,” as he gestured to my oversized hoodie.  
  
I rolled my eyes, walking towards the office with Lydia following beside me. After coming home, she had to spend a couple of months in a mental facility in order to recover from the torture she endured. Victoria offered her a job to work as her assistant in order to keep an eye on her granddaughter; I didn't blame her though because I still did the same to Lizzy even though she came out with only a few scars.  
  
The two of us didn't say anything as we entered the cool air of the administrative building and I followed the path to a door that I was all too familiar with. Slowly, I brought my hand up to the wood, knocking on it until I heard the woman's voice on the other side, giving me permission to enter.  
  
Victoria stood at her desk, running her fingers along the papers that were scattered on it. I approached her, icy blue eyes meeting mine as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before saying, “It's been a year, hasn't it, Ciel?”  
  
I looked down, eye tingling as I lifted my hand up to the black silk and sighing. It's not like I needed to be reminded of every passing moment that Sebastian's not here; I knew it every empty morning, and every lonely night.  
  
I found an old newspaper clipping on the desk of a happy couple, a man with dark hair, thin lips in a smile, and a woman with light-colored eyes and a diamond glinting on her finger. The picture was connected to an engagement announcement and I met Victoria's eyes as she said, “He looks exactly like Diablo, doesn't he?”  
  
I wiped my watery eyes with the back of my sleeve before nodding my head. I was at a loss for words, not knowing what to say as I sniffled, the older woman filling the silence for me, “Nothing ever turned up from the missing person's report, but I know he's not dead. He's too much like his grandfather and whatever happened that night that, that _vile_ woman died, it must have messed with him. He just needed some time alone.”  
  
From what Lizzy faintly remember of that night, she had fought along Sebastian before she saw something in him snap and it caused him to change. Not long after that, her and Kasadya had been knocked to the side as if they were mere playthings. The only thing I was able to infer from that story was that his demon had finally been set free.  
  
I chewed at my lip, meeting her eyes once again as a question rolled off my tongue, “So what did you call me down here for? Is there a new case?” Shifting my weight to my other foot, her gray-blue orbs watched me carefully before muttering, “No, Ciel. I've been worried about you lately and I just wanted to make sure that you're doing fine... There's also something that I wanted to give you while you're here, but I've been questioning whether or not you need it at the moment.  
  
Pulling open a desk drawer, she held a plain envelope, my name scrawled in familiar chicken scratch. Without even thinking, I reached for it, eyes wide before she tightened her grip on it and sighed, “Ciel, do you really want this letter? This was given to me before the end of that fight and I've kept myself from breaking the seal because I fear what he had to say. Do you _really_ want to take the chance of having to relive that entire ordeal?”  
  
My lips were pulled in a tight line, hand dropping as I whispered, “I love him and he's been gone for over a year. I... We went through a lot together; we learned each others past's, he helped me when I lost my home, I fell in love with him... and he just left.” The tears were welling up in my eyes once again as I stared at the envelope in her hands, “If there's a reason why he's gone in there, I need to know; I need something that may give me closure if he's never coming back.”  
  
She frowned at my words, handing the letter to me and I took it with shaky hands, nodding my head to her before turning around to leave only to be stopped by her voice.  
  
“I know you've heard the saying, 'If you love something let it go; if it comes back to you, it's yours.' I feel as if that saying not only relates to you situation, but also mine in the past.” I turned around, my one blue eye burning into her. “Diablo and I parted ways and even though we reunited forty-four years later on his deathbed, we still came back to one another.”  
  
A soft smile crossed my lips as I clutched the letter tighter in my hand, walking out of the room without another word.  
  
\---  
  
I sat on the leather couch, the letter sitting in front of me on the coffee table, still sealed shut. Twisting my family ring around my finger, I debated whether or not it should remain the way it is now or possibly open it up to learn why my boyfriend left me. I shut my eyes, sighing loudly, and covered my face before I heard a knock on the door.  
  
“Ciel, open up! We're gonna be late!” Alois' muffled voice was heard through the door and I stood up before heading in that direction. I didn't know where the two of them were dragging me tonight, but I didn’t have any time to ask questions.  
  
Opening the door, Alois and Lizzy walked in, both wearing bright grins as I eyed their outfits, glancing down at mine. Alois was sporting his usual attire of olive green short-shorts, a black v-neck, a long purple coat, and a pair of lace up boots with heels. Lizzy was also dressed nice, wearing a short gold dress with a very revealing back, her brand standing out in the open; the material clung tightly to her and I blushed when I realized I was staring. Since they didn't specify what exactly to wear, I had put on a plaid, blue-black button up with the sleeves rolled up and a pair of jeans.  
  
“At least this outfit is a tad bit better than the one from earlier,” Lizzy sighed and Alois licked his lips, revealing his tongue ring before agreeing with a sly smirk.  
  
I ran a hand through my hair, rolling my eyes before muttering, “Where are you two taking me?” They looked between each other, giggling before saying in unison, “Nowhere.”  
  
Making my way across the room, I grabbed my keys and wallet, eyes finding the envelope once again, thinking about what may lay within the package before folding it into my pocket, not wanting to leave it behind. Alois took my arm, leading me towards the door and I sighed softly, “You better hold up to your word when you said that I'd forget about the things that have been on my mind.”  
  
\---  
  
Flashing lights and music filled the room as bodies were dancing against each other. I took a slow sip of the drink in my hand, wrinkling my nose at the burn of the alcohol. Of course, the two of them had to bring me to a party somewhere where East Side and West met each other.  
  
Lizzy's eyes met mine as she and Alois moved in synch, almost as if they were twins, before she gestured for me to come forward and join them. So far, I had spent the past hour leaning against the wall with the glass in my hand, trying my best not to drink myself into a stupor; in the past year, I had been to quite a few parties and needless to say, a hangover was never fun.  
  
Throwing back what was left of the liquid, I stood up, heading towards the duo as they smiled. “Finally, you party pooper!” Alois shouted, the smell of whiskey on his breath as Lizzy threw her arms around me, cheeks red as she cooed, “Ciel, dance with us!”  
  
She giggled loudly, shaking her hips in time with the beat of the song and I sighed, glancing around the room for a moment, debating on whether or not I needed another drink. Alois hugged me from behind, handing me his bottle as if he could real my mind, whispering, “We're failing because you've still got him on your mind; I can see it in your eyes. Come on, drink a little more because we brought you here to have fun for once.”  
  
I glanced around, Lizzy's arms around my neck and Alois' around my waist before I chuckled softly, taking the amber bottle from him, and took a swig of it. The two of them cheered loudly, other people around us staring as we began to awkwardly dance together.  
  
As the night went on, I felt tipsy as I threw back another shot before leading the older male in a slow dance even though a fast beat was playing in the background. The female blonde had went off to refill our glasses; the routine that we had formed was if one had went to go get a drink, the other two would dance together.  
  
As his arms tightened around my neck, teal eyes burned into me, and I saw Alois bite his lips. “You know, Ciel, even though I've been dating Claude for a couple of years now, I've always thought you were cute.” The words were slurred as he whispered in my ear and I smiled softly. He seemed innocent as he blushed, admitting those words and I smiled before the liquor spoke for me.  
  
“Why don't you do something about it? We've had a few drinks and I don't think Claude would mind,” I snickered as he stared at me, a small smirk spreading across the lips and the two of us let out bodies take control; being clearly drunk, we weren't even thinking straight.  
  
I planted my lips on the blond's, kissing him as I gripped his waist, pulling him closer. A stupid smile spread across his face as he kissed me back and my mind was running fifty different directions at once. I moaned somewhere along the action as I felt metal glide across my lip when he slipped his tongue into my mouth, deepening the kiss.  
  
When the two of us pulled away, breathless, I heard a giggle. Quickly I looked over, Lizzy standing there with a smile on her face, two drinks on her person as she handed one to me before saying, “I'd pay to totally see you two make out... Oh wait, I didn't have to.”  
  
Alois smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders before saying, “God, Elizabeth; I finally found out why you stuck with him for so long.”  
  
I rolled my eyes, taking a sip of my drink before grabbing onto both of them, dragging them further into the mass of people before continuing to enjoy the party.  
  
I couldn't even remember what I was so upset about.  
  
\---  
  
My head was throbbing as I woke up the next morning laying on Claude's couch with Lizzy sprawled out nearby on the recliner. The oldest male ended up having to pick the three of us up last night and I figured that he didn't want to drive me all the way home after the party; Lizzy had to stay the night anyways because her mother would be upset if she found out that her daughter was out getting drunk.  
  
I rubbed my eyes, taking notice of how early it was before reaching down into my pockets to make sure that I still had all the items that I left the loft with, finding them on the coffee table moments later. Sitting next to them was the white envelope, crumpled from being in my pants before I picked it up, studying each detail of the letter on it as if they meant everything to me.  
  
My eyes glanced over at the blonde on the chair, questioning if I should open the letter while she was here, in fear of waking her up only to find me having a mental breakdown. I didn't know what the letter would hold and it could be everything from my greatest wish to my worst nightmare.  
  
Making up my mind, my thumb found an opening in the flap, tearing it open before reaching for the contents. My hand grabbed the papers as if they were on the edge of turning into dust and slowly I unfolded them to find words typed in crimson. I shut my eyes tightly, chewing at my lip before I prepared myself to read probably the last words that Sebastian had meant for me to see.  
  
_Ciel Alexander Phantomhive  
The boy I love. The boy I never meant to harm.  
  
If you're reading this letter then I'm either dead or I've left so that you'll remember the person I was before all of this happened. I'm planning to betray my mother for your and so many other persons' sakes. I don't know the outcome, but I hope for the best.  
  
I presume that if you have this then all went well and that you don't have to worry about Serpentine ever again. I hate that I have to (or is it had by this point?) make it seem as if I'm one of _ them _, but I don't want you to see anything, but the outcome of the battle; nothing less and nothing more._  
  
_Ciel, I'm writing this letter to tell you to forget about me. If I'm gone, then some time must have passed between now and then and I just want you to be happy. I've become a bad person and I don't want you to see this version of me and if you refuse to forget (because I know you will), then just think of the good times. Think as if Serpentine never happened and just remember that you don't need to be fearful of someone coming after you every waking moment of the day._  
  
_Go find someone to be happy with because I'm not them and I don't plan on returning if I've left. I can't be by your side after I've caused you so much pain and the markings that we bear will not mean anything if this is the end of our contract; we don't even know what you gave up to have me, a demon, by your side._  
  
_In the end, the two of us are too different anyways._  
  
_Now this all may seem selfish on my part to give you all of these things that you probably don't want, but..._  
  
_Maybe you'll never see this letter and I'm just being a depressed asshole because I'm just afraid of the result of whatever I'm about to do. I might come back if I'm gone, but something strong would have to will me to. After my grandfather died, I always planned on leaving the city to find out what was really out there._  
  
_So, right now, I don't know where I'm at, or what the date is, or what stage of life you're going through, but please... Enjoy what you have._  
  
_I'll always love you, Ciel. I'm sorry._  
  
_Sebastian Cassius Michaelis_  
  
I choked back a sob, tears running down my face; even with these words, I was still left as broken and confused as before. I sniffled, watching Lizzy shift in her sleep before I grabbed my things off of the table, tying on my eye patch before I walked towards the door.  
  
Sebastian was right; he was selfish for leaving me without another word and I was selfish for wanting to give up anything to have him back.  
  
\---  
  
The sun was slowly rising from behind dark clouds by the time I was about a block from the loft. It had taken me almost an hour and a half to get home, hangover making itself well known as those words were still imprinted clearly in my mind. I refused to forget the curve of my first initial and how I never thought that four letters would carve into my heart like sharpened blades.  
  
My keys hung lazily from my hand as I unlocked the trunk of my car, pulling out my shoulder bag full of case files, before making my way up the stony staircase that led to my home. I could hear the rain in the background, knowing that we were going to have a gloomy day as it picked up.  
  
Slipping my key into the lock, I came to realize that the door was unlocked and slightly ajar. I was confused, knowing that I had locked the door before I left and I questioned for a moment if someone had broke into the house. My hand reached for the gun that I no longer carried on me and I bit my lip before nudging the door, the warm air of the enclosed space being let out.  
  
Slowly, I made my way inside, the forgotten scent of cigarettes and cinnamon tainting the air and I caught sight of two glass chess pieces sitting on the floor in front of the entryway; a shattered clear king with a slight speck of red and a black knight. I hadn't seen the pieces since they had disappeared before the older male left and as the soft sound of guitar strumming filled the loft, my heart dropped, tears in my eyes as I ran towards it.  
  
“Sebastian!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really bad when it comes to the final chapters of a story. I know that the character's personalities seemed to have done an entire 360, but the reason they changed like this is because it's been a year since the incident; yes, I know people don't change that much, but I just tried to sit and think and figure what exactly would happen to a person, or a group of people if their surroundings changed quite a bit in a short span of time.
> 
> Now, this isn't the last chapter, but if I have everything set up right, the next one will be. I'm on my toes right now, ready to finish this thing and I hope you all will stick with seeing the end!
> 
> Comment/Subscribe/Kudos/Enjoy!
> 
> Also, I'm taking questions about the story on my writing blog (http://a-fictional-reality.tumblr.com/), so if you've ever wondered something about the story, characters, or any of the chapters, feel free to send me a message.


	42. That Butler, Leaving

-Sebastian's Point of View-  
  
A year ticks by slowly when you spend most of it on the road. Even though I had the ability to be anywhere at any given moment, I couldn't bring myself to use _those_ powers.  
  
The night Mother died was the night that I let my demonic side free and I had to use it to shed blood, unable to revert from the crimson eyes and claws until my hunger had been subsided. I would never forget the look in that poor stranger's eyes as her soul became my meal; not enough to completely fill me up and nowhere near as sweet as I preferred it to be.  
  
Currently I was holed up in a musty motel room, shivering slightly from the air conditioning that was running so early in April. I hadn't left the room in a couple of days, but I didn't need to meet every human need in order to survive. Instead, I had spent a lot of the time trying to sleep off all of the things that plagued my mind.  
  
As I shifted under the covers, my eyes found the dark purple contract symbol on my hand, a deep scratch cutting into one part of the star. Before the fight, I talked to Claude, explaining to him what I was going to do and I had the nerve to ask what would keep Ciel safe and hide my connection from the younger male. After questioning me why I wanted to do such a thing, he told me that he wouldn't feel a thing if I just cut a mark into my symbol.  
  
I still felt Ciel's pain though; the entire time I've been gone, he's been depressed and I could feel his stress from the trial, the worry of me not being with him, and the tears every night he cried.  
  
Chewing at my lip, I rolled over, glancing at the clock before slowly pulling myself away from the bed. Quickly, I went to the mini-fridge, grabbing a beer and lighting the first cancer stick that I've smoked since the last time I got out of bed.  
  
Smoke plumed from my lips as I exhaled, watching the orange ember in the dark as a dull headache sat in the back of my mind.  
  
“Sebastian,” a voice whispered and I glanced around the room to find three sets of red eyes watching me and I frowned. In my travels, I had picked up a set of triplets along the way, only to quickly find out that they were also demons. They took interest in me for that reason, but I didn't understand why they didn't trust humans; only each other and the very few demons that they had came across.  
  
“I thought I left you three a hundred miles back,” I muttered, last seeing them two weeks ago when they decided to stay in some big city that apparently had their favorite type of “food.”  
  
They chuckled, the oldest, Thompson, speaking up, “The city life isn't much for us, besides, we had to see how our favorite person was doing.” Sarcasm was laced in his tone as I flicked the ashes off the end of the burning tobacco and laughed softly.  
  
“How desperate are you to get me out of this shitty place?” I asked as they glanced at each other, the middle speaking next, “Sebastian, you look awful. When was the last time you ate because you know you can't survive off of human food alone? We thrive off of the souls, and beer and cigarettes are nothing of the sort.” Timber sounded concerned as I rolled my eyes.  
  
“What do you want me to do? Go hunting with you? No thanks; I'd prefer not to see any dead bodies and I know how you three work.” I stubbed out my cigarette, the ember dying as I looked away, about to take a shower.  
  
“If you want your demon to take control without your consent, then stop eating. We may not be mature, but you are and we've seen demons fall apart because of starvation; it's either you feed now or you go into a frenzy,” Canterbury muttered as I stopped in my tracks, looking back at him.  
  
As if on cue, my stomach growled and I bit my lip; I hadn't eaten since I was in that city. I gritted my teeth, grabbing a towel and sighed, knowing that they were right; the last thing I needed was to lose control of myself.  
  
Rolling my eyes, I glanced back at the trio and grimaced, “Find somewhere safe to where you won't get caught; as I've said before, I know how the three of you hunt and I don't want to leave a trail of blood behind us. People won't be any issue because I know just the place to go... I've been here for a while.”  
  
Identical Cheshire smiles spread across their faces as I turned around, walking into the bathroom and shaking my head.  
  
\---  
  
I had never been much of a fan of country music as the triplets and I walked into a bar that I've been spending quite a bit of time in lately. “Cassius, it's so good to see you again,” the female bartender, Margaret, said, sliding me a drink as the plum-haired boys behind me dispersed into the crowd. I took a seat on a barstool, grabbing the glass and taking a swig before I chuckled, “I've been spending more time in here than not.”  
  
She laughed softly, losing my attention for only a moment as she refilled a drink before coming back. She leaned on the bar, her cleavage showing in her low-cut v-neck, allowing my eyes to wander. A smirk spread across her lips as she cooed, “Like what you see?”  
  
Though I had never had an attraction to women, I played it off, taking a gulp from my glass as she giggled, “You know, Cassius, like you said, you've been spending a lot of time in here and I've been thinking... I'd like to get to know you a little better.” She gave me a wink, biting her lip and I knew that I may have caught a fly in my web.  
  
I smiled, leaning a little closer to her and asking, “What time do you get off of work? I wouldn't mind if the two of us had a little bit of alone time to kill.” The last word slipped through my lips easily as I tried to hold back my smirk, knowing all too well how true that word really was.  
  
She just giggled, refilling another drink before twisting a blonde curl, humming, “Eleven sharp. You can meet me out back and take me wherever you'd like.” She winked again and I smirked.  
  
“I'll see you then,” I said softly, finishing off my glass and leaving it on the bar before searching for the triplets in the crowd of people. The place was busy for a weeknight, but it didn't take me long to spot Timber dancing with a young male.  
  
He stopped for a moment, red eyes meeting mine before I gave him a thumbs up, pointing to my phone to let him know my plans now that I had the one thing that they wanted me to look for. He nodded his head, joining his partner in a dance once again as if he never missed a step.  
  
Making my way out of the bar, I pulled out a cigarette, taking a slow puff from it as my stomach faintly growled.  
  
_“You're weak, Sebastian.”_  
  
I could hear my mother's voice in the back of my mind, thinking about how I was before our battle, how I could never land a blow whenever we sparred. She had told me that I would never be as strong as her, but I smirked as I remembered the outcome of the fight.  
  
I never meant to kill her, but as my demon emerged, I couldn't control my actions. Finally being fully mature, I craved blood. My mind never fully registered the pain of my black _talons_ , the way my _razor-sharp_ teeth made me look like a wild animal, or after the fight when the _horns_ emerged from my skull. My demon had wanted a taste of a new soul and it thought it would get one from my mother after all of the energy it took to defeat her.  
  
Flicking the ashes off of the cancer stick, I began to head towards my car, deciding a nap until my given time would do me some good.  
  
\---  
  
My hands were shoved deep in my pockets as I stood behind the bar, not a camera in sight as I heard Margaret's voice through the door. A smile played her lips as she shivered for a moment in the chilly night air before saying, “It's nice to see you again, Cassius.”  
  
I smiled, linking my arm with hers as I led her across the parking lot, asking, “So where would you like to go? Dinner? Somewhere quiet? My place?” My tone was suggestive as she glanced over at me with lidded eyes, saying softly, “I think you know what I had in mind, Cassius.”  
  
The grip on my arm tightened slightly as I smiled, trying to contain my demon's excitement as I led her to the motel just down the road. Typically, I drove the car over, but I decide that walking would be better on our own part; she probably thought that it was romantic, just the two of us under the stars.  
  
I slid my key card in front of the lock, opening the door and allowing her to enter first, catching her eyes as she glanced around the small space before commenting, “How much longer do you plan on staying in this little town in the middle of nowhere?”  
  
Slowly, I made my way towards her, moving her blonde locks away from one side of her neck before replacing them with my lips. I had no plans to seduce her, but I had to catch her off guard to get what I needed. Softly, she whined, leaning into the gesture and exposing more of her skin to me as I said, “Not long; maybe I'll leave tonight, maybe next week. I've been roaming for a little over a year now.”  
  
She glanced back even though she couldn't see me that well in the dim light before mumbling, “You don't have a place to call home?” She sounded sympathetic, breath hitching in her throat as I wrapped my arms around her waist. I didn't want to talk about it because I'd end up thinking about Ciel once again and ignore my meal.  
  
Not saying anything, she turned around to face me, placing her hands on my chest before I began to shrug off of my jacket, dropping it on the floor. She stood on her tip-toes, arms moving up to wrap around my neck before she softly kissed me as if she could sense the pain that I was trapping deep inside.  
  
I didn't deny the action, actually leaning into the kiss before I slid my hand up the back of her shirt, her body quaking before I pulled away only for her to drag me back. She moaned softly, my demon growling as it began to break free from its restraints, and I tried to hold back just a little while longer only to fail.  
  
My eyes burned, teeth sharpening as I nicked her lip when I kissed her with a little more force. She tried to jerk away, but my hands moved down almost instantly, holding her hips in place.  
  
“Cassius, wha-?” She tried to squeak out, but I growled, sealing my lips with hers. My nails extended into claws, cutting into her skin as she yelped, panic setting in quickly as I was reaching the meal that I had been denying myself. The taste wasn't up to par with the souls my mother had given me, but it was enough to satisfy.  
  
Still trying to fight, she tried to push away, but I wouldn't let go. I deepened the kiss, forcing open her jaw as her eyes fluttered shut, body slowly growing more limp against me before her soul passed over. Her weight landed against me as I swallowed, her memories flashing through my mind as I winced.  
  
Margaret had lived a mostly happy life until a few years ago when she and her mother were in a car accident. Margaret was hospitalized for weeks, comatose because of her injuries, but when she awoke, her father blamed her for his wife's death, telling the girl that he never wanted to see her again.  
  
My eyes caught sight of two thin scars to the side of her mouth and one on her neck before I gently laid her body on the bed, gathering up my things, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stay in town much longer.  
  
I washed the blood off of my hands, not even bothering to change my shirt since the dark color mostly masked the remaining crimson. Carrying my items off to the car, two of the three brothers were already sitting in the back, one showing how brutal and naive he was when it came to hunting.  
  
“I'd prefer to keep blood out of my backseat, Thompson,” I muttered, climbing into the driver's seat, Timber appearing a moment later in the same state.  
  
Chewing at my lip, I didn't say anything as I cranked the antique car up, driving off to only continue moving forward from where I was before.  
  
\---  
  
“Sebastian... Sebastian... Sebastian!”  
  
“What?!” I groaned, sitting up from where I was napping, eyes meeting one of the boys, sunglasses perched on his head. He held a beach ball in his hand, a frown on his lips as he sighed, “You've been sleeping since we got here. Don't you want to go hang out on the beach with us?”  
  
I rolled over, shutting my eyes and muttering, “No. I'm fine. You guys have fun without me.” I sighed softly, knowing that he was still standing there, judging me before I heard the door open and close, leaving me alone in the room.  
  
The past few days, Ciel had remained depressed, almost to the point that I was going to reestablish our connection just to let him know that I was still here. Through the link, I could feel the drunken stupors he was throwing himself into, more than likely going to school in that state. The episodes were giving me terrible headaches, my hand stinging as I tried to sleep them off.  
  
Slowly, I sat up, currently not feeling anything as I made my way towards the balcony. I could see kids running across the shoreline, people splashing water at each other, before I spotted the three teens who were almost inseparable. A small smile spread across my lips as I pulled my phone from my pocket, scrolling through some news site before I found the article that I was looking for; four people, one man and three women, were found dead in a motel, no evidence of the killer and the only connection was that they frequented the same bar.  
  
I was lucky that the motel kept poor records, but at the same time, I had been signing my name to everything as Cassius Diablo anyways.  
  
I took in a deep breath, inhaling the scent of the salty sea before sitting down my phone, lighting a cigarette; tomorrow marks one year since I left the city and Ciel behind. As I took a puff of the cancer stick, I pushed the ember against the back of my hand, wincing as it burnt into the cut on my contract symbol. The smoke drifted from my lips as I pulled away, examining the burn before rocking on my heels and shutting my eyes.  
  
When I opened them I was standing on an abandoned pier that was falling apart, glancing out at the waves. Lately I had been thinking about the letter I left behind and wondering if Ciel ever received it. It had passed my mind multiple times that I could return to the city and actually have Margaret's definition of _home_ , but I didn't want to face Ciel after I had become such a monster.  
  
What would he think if he knew how many souls I've consumed, how many people I've killed to just satisfy the hunger that I had? Apparently the craving and hunger ebb away after a certain period of time, but for now I'd just have to wait until then; I couldn't see how Claude could go two months without one.  
  
Taking another drag of my cigarette, I flicked the butt out into the water before shoving my hands in my pockets, deciding to walk back to the hotel so that I could clear my head.  
  
\---  
  
That night I tossed and turned in my sleep as I felt the array of Ciel's emotions; depression, anxiety, intoxication, lust. Splashing water on my face, I stared at my reflection in the mirror, dark circles prominent as another sting ran through my hand.  
  
I hissed, walking back into the bedroom to find Canterbury standing on the balcony, staring at the stars. I studied him for a moment before making my way outside, apologizing when I accidentally spooked him.  
  
“I thought you'd be asleep after the time you three spent out on the beach,” I commented, taking notice in his sunburnt face that was practically glowing. He didn't say anything, just staring up at the stars before muttering, “I had a dream about my parents, but I don't remember their faces, just their voices.”  
  
He sounded distant and I tensed up, not knowing what to say. When I met the trio, they were just about to turn sixteen. I was in some coffee shop when I saw them out on the street, homeless and begging for change. As I was leaving, I left them a twenty, only for Thompson to look up at me, red flashing to yellow as he asked me if I was a demon; at the time, he was the only one with powers.  
  
I never dared to ask them about their family though.  
  
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, but he shook his head mumbling, “I don't want to remember them; they left us and the past is in the past. I like to think I'm going forward.” A small smile hinted at his lips as his eyes never left the sky.  
  
Just as I was about to mull over his words, a sharp pain shot through my hand, the burn on my skin instantly healing to reveal a complete tetragrammaton once again. I winced, eyes burning as I felt the knife being plunged into Ciel's side, an audible gasp leaving my lips.  
  
Canterbury's eyes locked on me, confused as he opened his mouth only for me to stop him, “C-Ciel, he... Fuck.”  
  
A growl ripped through my throat as my demon made himself known and in a moment, I was standing on hardwood floors, candles burning in the room as a music player skipped, repeating the same guitar chord over and over again. My vision was crimson as I made my way into the bedroom, finding two males wrestling, the smaller one losing the battle.  
  
“Ack!” Ciel cried out as he was being choked, the older male plunging his knife deeper into the younger's side. The older cackled before I grabbed him by his silver ponytail, claws gripping the strands before his scarred face met mine.  
  
“Ahaha! Is that really you, Sebastian? My how you've grown,” Undertaker cooed as my boyfriend's eyes stared up at me in shock and slight fear. I wanted to apologize to Ciel for leaving, for seeing me in this state, but I wasn't able to as Undertaker swiped his blade at my neck, missing only to cut along the side of my jaw.  
  
I growled, accidentally letting go of him before he laughed, “I heard you had left and I only wanted to fulfill your mother's last wishes. I didn't think you'd show up, but you've got those demonic abilities, don't you?” His tone was cocky as green eyes bore into me. He glanced at the blood on his knife and I tensed up until I heard Ciel's voice weakly call out, “Sebastian, I order you to take out this man. **Kill** him.”  
  
My eyes found his and I nodded my head only to have Undertaker disappear, hearing his voice moments later from the upper part of the loft, “You know, out of all of Serpentine, _I_ was the only one that wasn't arrested. Your little boyfriend should know that, but he was so careless; he came running in here as soon as he thought it was you.” Crimson met green as he smiled, flicking his blade around before he hummed, “Would you like to play, Sebastian?”  
  
I grimaced at his word choice, sneering as he blew a feather away from himself and I came after him, claws outstretched. He dodged my attack, meeting my blows perfectly as if he wasn't human. He smiled as I questioned what he may have been only for him to cackle, “I'm professionally trained with knives. Every day Demona would put me down, telling me that I was pitiful, that I'd never amount to anything, but look Sebastian, I can meet your blows. Then again, _maybe you're weak_.”  
  
I snarled, his words mirroring my mother's as something snapped inside me and the battle moved in my favor. My claws cut deep into his skin, splashes of blood meeting the floor as the knife barely left a mark on me. With each cut, he grew weaker, missing his targets more often, before the knife dropped out of his hands and he collapsed, staring up at me in defeat.  
  
“Go on ahead; take the last human piece of me that I have left. You're hungry, aren't you?” He coughed, blood spotting his lips as I saw the gash heavily bleeding on his neck. He laughed, loudly, “They're dead! They're all dead! You killed Demona and it all fell apart. Everyone was guilty, but the top ranks are all dead!”  
  
I turned away, my wounds quickly healing as I could almost taste the sweetness of his humanity. I wasn't going to do it though; he didn't deserve that kind of quick, easy death. Slowly, I began to walk away as he began to sob, “My baby brother is dead! Kasadya is dead! They couldn't deal with the things that they had done to be separated from each other. They're dead and I'm next!”  
  
My feet carried me away, ignoring his cries as he slowly bled out on the kitchen floor, and I didn't care what happened to anyone left in Serpentine;it didn't matter whether any of them were dead or alive.  
  
\---  
  
_Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep..._  
  
I couldn't leave Ciel at the hospital alone, not after fighting for his sake again. Leaving him had just left the younger male vulnerable and as the droning sounds of a heart monitor filled the bleach-scented room, my heart was in my throat. The younger male was suffering from two deep stab wounds, and bruises and cuts littered his entire body. I cringed as I saw the dark purple, hand shaped bruises on his neck, looking away before biting my lip.  
  
I had broke my contract and caused harm to Ciel because I had been ignoring his cries since I left.  
  
“Mm...” the younger male moaned, opening his one blue eyes since I had insisted that his eye patch remain on. His eyelid fluttered and for only a moment, I thought he was drifting back off to a drug induced sleep only to have that singular orb lock onto me.  
  
“S-Sebastian?”  
  
His voice was dry and I stepped forward, taking his hand before giving it a gentle squeeze, a soft smile spreading across my lips and I whispered, “Yes, _domine mi_?”  
  
Before I even realized it, tears were streaming down his cheeks as he tried to reach out to me. Seeing the pain in his eyes, I met him halfway, feeling thin fingers run across the features of my face, tracing over each piece as if he wanted to make sure that I was _really_ there.  
  
I leaned down further as he pulled my face towards him, lips brushing mine before I kissed him, feeling the roughness of his chapped lips before I cupped his cheek.  
  
The two of us pulled away from one another, breathless, as his blue orb met mine and he whispered, “I've missed you... I've missed you so, so much.” His fingers tangled up in my hair before I smiled. Even though all of those thoughts tried to keep me away, I knew I belonged next to Ciel and this was where I wanted to stay.  
  
“I'm not leaving this time. Our contract still stands and me staying away from you only breaches it. I should have never left,” I said softly and his eyes widened as he said, “Did you...?”  
  
“When I was thirteen, I unconsciously made a contract with a boy only because he had a connection to my estranged parents; if they had any interference, I do not know, but it was still sealed with a mark on the young boy's eye. The person who held my contract, I stumbled upon a year ago only to find why I have this mark on my hand and as time progressed, the connection became stronger. When my demon was finally set free, and I learned a little more about myself as I fought to keep it contained, I came to finally realize the terms.”  
  
My lips curved into a smile as I stood up straight and said, “The contracted formed on a cold January between the human, Ciel Phantomhive, and demon, Sebastian Michaelis, stated that the demon was to always protect the human boy in his time of need, and to keep him from any harm from his past. The lifespan of the contract is until the human happens to decide to give up his soul or he passes away; if the demon happens to expire before the human, then the soul will be passed over then, unless there are other unspecified circumstances.”  
  
The younger male stared at me for only a long moment before saying, “So, the fight wasn't the end?” I shook my head and he pulled me close again, kissing me until the both of us couldn't stand it any longer.  
  
I rested my forehead on his as I stared into his one blue eye, untying the eye patch and revealing his sparkling orb before whispering, “Ciel, I'll remain your knight until the very end; that's my job as the demon that bears this mark.”  
  
He laughed softly, shutting his eyes and mumbling, “Sebastian, I know it's your job to protect me; you showed me that tonight and even though I was scared to see _that_ side of you...” he placed a peck on my lips, looking me in the eyes.  
  
I stared back, saying, “I left because I was so scared that you would hate me because I had become a monster... I thought you'd hate me.”  
  
I pulled away for a moment before he placed both hands on my cheeks and shook me softly before muttering, “I could never hate you and don't call yourself a monster... you're nothing like the ones who tortured me and you're nothing like the woman who forced you to do the things that you did. There's nothing wrong with being who you are because I could never hate you... I made sure that all of Serpentine was locked away because of what they did.” He paused between sentences as if he was losing his train of thought before he was sighed softly, “I love you and I won't stop loving you because you've got a demon trapped inside you.”  
  
As if all the weight had been lifted off of my shoulders, I sighed, softly, “I love you too, Ciel... and there's just so much I need to tell you about what's happened in the past year.”  
  
He leaned up, kissing my cheek before muttering, “Can you tell me after I get out of the hospital? My side is killing me and I think a need some more painkillers.”  
  
I laughed softly and nodded my head, “Don't worry, we have as long as we need... Get some rest, _domine mi_ , I'll be here when you wake up.”  
  
His fingers intertwined with mine and he gave my hand a soft squeeze before laying back down, shutting his eyes as I smiled, continuing to hold his hand even after he was fast asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One year, three months, and twenty-two days ago I posted the very first chapter of this story and today I am posting the finale. It's been a wild ride with all of the ups and downs and the loss of occasional motivation and the like, but I finished it. Sadly, this is the very last chapter of Deal With the Devil and I'm finally letting Ciel and Sebastian go. 
> 
> To be truthful, I had tears in my eyes at the moment because after such a long haul, I never thought that it would end this way. When I started, I didn't know where I was going and I only had a few characters to work with; I'm glad to have wrote something like this for you guys and it feels nice to have spread my creativity once again. 
> 
> I know this chapter isn't one-hundred percent of what I wanted it to be, but I felt like there was so much that I needed to make known in this final chapter and the only reason why I introduced the triplets was because I thought about doing a small little spin-off story with them possibly in the future; it's kind of a back up plan in case I run out of things to do. 
> 
> My heart though. 
> 
> So, I suppose this is the last time I'm saying goodbye on this thing, but in a couple of days I'll be posting a reflection of the story, and I will be taking questions on my writing blog on tumblr. 
> 
> Thank you all for being lovely and I hope you stick around to see what I come up with next! 
> 
> Comment/Kudos/Enjoy! 
> 
> Kayla VI
> 
> Reflection: http://a-fictional-reality.tumblr.com/post/144457931799/a-reflection-on-deal-with-the-devil


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